Lady did not care for liberties
from anyone. And she took no pains to mask her snappish
first-sight aversion to the lanky Cyril. Her fiery little son,
Wolf, was scarce less formidable than she, when it came to being
teased by an outsider. But gallant old Lad was safe game.
He was safe game for Cyril, because Lad's mighty heart and soul
were miles above the possibility of resenting anything from so
pitifully weak and defenseless a creature as this child. He
seemed to realize, at a glance, that Cyril was an invalid and
helpless and at a physical disadvantage. And, as ever toward the
feeble, his big nature went out in friendly protection to this
gangling wisp of impishness.
Which was all the good it did him.
In fact, it laid the huge collie open to an endless succession of
torment. For the dog's size and patience seemed to awaken every
atom of bullying cruelty in the small visitor's nature.
Cyril, from the hour of his arrival, found acute bliss in making
Lad's life a horror. His initial step was to respond effusively
to the collie's welcoming advances; so long as the Mistress and
the Master chanced to be in the room.
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