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distance above the station。 Hazen walked along the track； trying
the door of each car he passed。 The fourth he came to was
unlocked。 He slid back the newly greased side door； thrust Lass
into the chilly and black interior and quickly slid shut the door
behind her。 Then with the silly feeling of having committed a
crime； he stumbled away through the darkness at top speed。
A freight car has a myriad uses； beyond the carrying of
legitimate freight。 From time immemorial； it has been a favorite
repository for all manner of illicit flotsam and jetsam human or
otherwise。
Its popularity with tramps and similar derelicts has long been a
theme for comic paper and vaudeville jest。 Though； heaven knows；
the inside of a moving box…car has few jocose features； except in
the imagination of humorous artist or vaudevillian！
But a far more frequent use for such cars has escaped the notice
of the public at large。 As any old railroader can testify；
trainhands are forever finding in box…cars every genus and
species of stray。
These finds range all the way from cats and dogs and discarded
white rabbits and canaries； to goats。 Dozens of babies have been
discovered； wailing and deserted； in box…car recesses； perhaps a
hundred miles from the siding where； furtively； the tiny human
bundle was thrust inside some conveniently unlatched side door。
A freight train offers glittering chances for the disposal of the
Unwanted。 More than once a slain man or woman has been sent along
the line； in this grisly but effective fashion； far beyond the
reach of recognition。
Hazen had done nothing original or new in depositing the luckless
collie pup in one of these wheeled receptacles。 He was but
following an oldestablished custom； familiar to many in his
line of life。 There was no novelty to it；except to Lass。
The car was dark and cold and smelly。 Lass hated it。 She ran to
its door。 Here she found a gleam of hope for escape and for
return to the home where every one that day had been so kind to
her。 Hazen had shut the door with such vehemence that it had
rebounded。 The hasp was down； and so the catch had not done its
duty。 The door had slid open a few inches from the impetus of
Hazen's shove。
It was not wide enough open to let Lass jump out； but it was wide
enough for her to push her nose through。 And by vigorous
thrusting； with her triangular head as a wedge； she was able to
widen the aperture； inch by inch。 In less than three minutes she
had broadened it far enough for her to wriggle out of the car and
leap to the side of the track。 There she stood bewildered。
A spring snow was drifting down from the sulky sky。 The air was
damp and penetrating。 By reason of the new snow the scent of
Hazen's departing footsteps was blotted out。 Hazen himself was no
longer in sight。 As Lass had made the journey from house to
tracks with her head tucked confidingly under her kidnaper's arm；
she had not noted the direction。 She was lost。
A little way down the track the station lights were shining with
misty warmth through the snow。 Toward these lights the puppy
trotted。
Under the station eaves； and waiting to be taken aboard the
almost…due eleven…forty express； several crates and parcels were
grouped。 One crate was the scene of much the same sort of escape…
…drama that Lass had just enacted。
The crate was big and comfortable； bedded down with soft sacking
and with 〃insets〃 at either side containing food and water。 But
commodious as was the box； the unwonted confinement did not at
all please its occupanta temperamental and highly bred young
collie in process of shipment from the Rothsay Kennels to a
purchaser forty miles up the line。
This collie； wearying of the delay and the loneliness and the
strange quarters； had begun to plunge from one side of the crate
to the other in an effort to break out。 A carelessly nailed slat
gave away under the impact。 The dog scrambled through the gap and
proceeded to gallop homeward through the snow。
Ten seconds later； Lass； drawn by the lights and by the scent of
the other dog； came to the crate。 She looked in。 There； made to
order for her； was a nice bed。 There； too； were food and drink to
appease the ever…present appetite of a puppy。 Lass writhed her
way in through the gap as easily as the former occupant had
crawled out。
After doing due justice to the broken puppy biscuits in the
inset…trough； she curled herself up for a nap。
The clangor and glare of the oncoming express awakened her。 She
cowered in one corner of the crate。 Just then two station…hands
began to move the express packages out to the edge of the
platform。 One of them noticed the displaced board of the crate。
He drove home its loosened nails with two sharp taps from a
monkey…wrench； glanced inside to make certain the dog had not
gotten out； and presently hoisted the crate aboard the express…
car。
Two hours later the crate was unloaded at a waystation。 At seven
in the morning an expressman drove two miles with it to a
country…home； a mile or so from the village where Lass had been
disembarked from the train。
An eager knot of peoplethe Mistress； the Master and two
gardenerscrowded expectantly around the crate as it was set
down on the lawn in front of The Place's veranda。 The latch was
unfastened； and the crate's top was lifted back on its hinges。
Out stepped Lass；tired； confused； a little frightened； but
eagerly willing to make friends with a world which she still
insisted on believing was friendly。 It is hard to shake a collie
pup's inborn faith in the friendliness of mankind； but once
shaken； it is more than shaken。 It is shattered beyond hope of
complete mending。
For an instant she stood thus； looking in timid appeal from one
to another of the faces about her。 These faces were blank enough
as they returned her gaze。 The glad expectancy was wiped from
them as with a sponge。 It was the Master who first found voice。
〃And THAT'S Rothsay Princess！〃 he snorted indignantly。 〃That's
the pup worth two hundred dollars at eight months； 'because she
has every single good point of Champion Rothsay Chief and not a
flaw from nostril to tail…tip'！ Rothsay wrote those very words
about her； you remember。 And he's supposed to be the most
dependable man in the collie business！ Lord！ She's undersizedno
bigger than a five monther ！ And she's prick…eared and apple…
domed； and her head's as wide as a church door！〃
Apparently these humans were not glad to see her。 Lass was
grieved at their cold appraisal and a little frightened by the
Master's tone of disgust。 Yet she was eager； as ever； to make a
good impression and to lure people into liking her。 Shyly she
walked up to the Mistress and laid one white little paw on her
knee。
Handshaking was Lass's one accomplishment。 It had been taught her
by Dick。 It had pleased the boy。 He had been proud of her ability
to do it。 Perhaps it m