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time； had lain latent。 The same illnessand the long…enforced
personal touch with humanshad done an equally transforming work
on the puppy's undeveloped mind。 The Thackeray…Washington…
Lincoln…Bismarck simile had held good。
What looked like a miracle was no more than the same beautifully
simple process which Nature enacts every day； when she changes an
awkward and dirt…colored cygnet into a glorious swan or a leggily
gawky colt into a superb Derby…winner。 But Bruce's metamorphosis
seemed none the less wonderful in the eyes of the two people who
had learned to love him。
Somewhere in the hideous wreck of Dr。 Halding's motorcar the dog
had found a souland the rest had followed as a natural course
of growth。
At the autumn dog…show； in Hampton； a 〃dark…sable…and…white〃
collie of unwonted size and beauty walked proudly into the ring
close to the Mistress's side； when the puppy class was calleda
class that includes all dogs under twelve months old。 Six minutes
later the Mistress was gleesomely accepting the first…prize blue
ribbon； for 〃best puppy；〃 from Judge Symonds' own gnarled hand。
Then came the other classes for collies〃Novice；〃 〃Open；〃
〃Limit；〃 〃Local；〃 〃American Bred。〃 And as Bruce paced
majestically out of the ring at last； he was the possessor of
five more blue ribbonsas well as the blue Winner's rosette； for
〃best collie in the show。〃
〃Great dog you've got there； madam！〃 commented Symonds in solemn
approval as he handed the Winner's rosette to the Mistress。 〃Fine
dog in every way。 Fine promise。 He will go far。 One of the best
types I've〃
〃Do you really think so？〃 sweetly replied the Mistress。 〃Why； one
of the foremost collie judges in America has gone on record as
calling him a 'measly St。 Bernard monstrosity。'〃
〃No？〃 snorted Symonds； incredulous。 〃You don't say so！ A judge
who would speak so； of that dog； doesn't understand his business。
He〃
〃Oh； yes； he does！〃 contradicted the Mistress； glancing lovingly
at her handful of blue ribbons。 〃I think he understands his
business very well indeedNOW！〃
CHAPTER III。 The War Dog
The guest had decided to wait until next morning； before leaving
The Place； instead of following his first plan of taking a night
train to New York。 He was a captain in our regular army and had
newly come back from France to forget an assortment of shrapnel
bites and to teach practical tactics to rookies。
He reached his decision to remain over night at The Place while
he and the Mistress and the Master were sitting on the vine…hung
west veranda after dinner； watching the flood of sunset change
the lake to molten gold and the sky to pink fire。 It would be
pleasant to steal another few hours at this back…country House of
Peace before returning to the humdrum duties of camp。 And the
guest yielded to the temptation。
〃I'm mighty glad you can stay over till morning；〃 said the
Master。 〃I'll send word to Roberts not to bring up the car。〃
As he spoke； he scrawled a penciled line on an envelope…back；
then he whistled。
From a cool lounging…place beneath the wistaria…vines arose a
huge colliestately of form； dark brown and white of coat； deep…
set of eye and with a head that somehow reminded one of a
Landseer engraving。 The collie trotted up the steps of the
veranda and stood expectant before the Master。 The latter had
been folding the envelope lengthwise。 Now he slipped it through
the ring in the dog's collar。
〃Give it to Roberts；〃 he said。
The big collie turned and set off at a hand…gallop。
〃Good！〃 approved the guest。 〃Bruce didn't seem to be in any doubt
as to what you wanted him to do。 He knows where Roberts is likely
to be？〃
〃No；〃 said the Master。 〃But he can track him and find him； if
Roberts is anywhere within a mile or so from here。 That was one
of the first things we taught himto carry messages。 All we do
is to slip the paper into his collar…ring and tell him the name
of the person to take it to。 Naturally； he knows us all by name。
So it is easy enough for him to do it。 We look on the trick as
tremendously clever。 But that's because we love Bruce。 Almost any
dog can be taught to do it； I suppose。 We〃
〃You're mistaken！〃 corrected the guest。 〃Almost any dog CAN'T be
taught to。 Some dogs can； of course； but they are the exception。
I ought to know； for I've been where dog…couriers are a decidedly
important feature of trench…warfare。 I stopped at one of the dog…
training schools in England； too； on my way back from Picardy；
and watched the teaching of the dogs that are sent to France and
Flanders。 Not one in ten can be trained to carry messages； and
not one in thirty can be counted on to do it reliably。 You ought
to be proud of Bruce。〃
〃We are；〃 replied the Mistress。 〃He is one of the family。 We
think everything of him。 He was such a stupid and awkward puppy；
too！ Then； in just a few months； he shaped up； as he is now。 And
his brain woke。〃
Bruce interrupted the talk by reappearing on the veranda。 The
folded envelope was still in the ring on his collar。 The guest
glanced furtively at the Master； expecting some sign of chagrin
at the collie's failure。
Instead； the Master took the envelope； unfolded it and glanced at
a word or two that had been written beneath his own scrawl； then
he made another penciled addition to the envelope's writing；
stuck the twisted paper back into the ring and said
〃Roberts。〃
Off trotted Bruce on his second trip。
〃I had forgotten to say which train you'll have to take in the
morning；〃 explained the Master。 〃So Roberts wrote； asking what
time he was to have the car at the door after breakfast。 It was
careless of me。〃
The guest did not answer。 But when Bruce presently returned；
this time with no paper in his collar…ring；the officer passed
his hand appraisingly through the dog's heavy coat and looked
keenly down into his dark eyes。
〃Gun…shy？〃 asked the guest。 〃Or perhaps he's never heard a gun
fired？〃
〃He's heard hundreds of guns fired；〃 said the Master。 〃I never
allow a gun to be fired on The Place； of course； because we've
made it a bird refuge。 But Bruce went with us in the car to the
testing of the Lewis machineguns； up at Haskell。 They made a most
ungodly racket。 But somehow it didn't seem to bother the Big Dog
at all。〃
〃H'm！〃 mused the guest； his professional interest vehemently
roused。 〃He would be worth a fortune over there。 There are a lot
of collies in the service； in one capacity or anotheralmost as
many as the Airedales and the police dogs。 And they are doing
grand work。 But I never saw one that was better fitted for it
than Bruce。 It's a pity he lives on the wrong side of the
Atlantic。 He could do his bit； to more effect than the average
human。 There are hundreds of thousands of men for the ranks； but
pitifully few perfect courier…dogs。〃
The Mistress was listening with a tensity which momentarily gre