But,
before he could take the first step, the Mistress stayed him.
"Look!" she cried, pointing to the hither side of the knoll;
lividly bright in the ember-glow.
Down the steep was galloping at breakneck speed a great, tawny
shape. Barking rapturously,--even as he had barked when first
the whistle's blast had roused him from his lazy repose in the
lakeside shallows,--Lad came whizzing toward the two humans who
watched so incredulously his wild approach.
The Master, belatedly, saw that the collie could not avoid
crashing into the spread of embers; and he opened his mouth to
order Lad back. But there was not time.
For once, the wise dog took no heed of even the simplest caution.
His lost and adored deities had called him and were awaiting him.
That was all Lad knew or cared. They had come back for him. His
horrible vigil and loneliness and his deadly peril were ended.
Too insanely happy to note where he was treading, he sprang into
the very center of the belt of smoldering coals. His tiny white
forefeet--drenched with icy water--did not remain among them long
enough to feel pain.
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