He would let them maul and mistreat him to
their heart's content; and he reveled in such usage; although to
humans other than the Mistress and the Master, he was sternly
resentful of any familiarity.
His senses told him this bundle contained a child;--a baby. It
had been lying alone and defenseless beside the road. He had
found it. And his heart warmed to the helpless little creature
which was so heavy to carry.
Proudly, now, he strode along; his muscles tensed; moving as if
on parade. The bundle swinging from his jaws was carried as
lovingly as though it might break in sixty pieces at any careless
step.
The spare tire was adjusted. The men glanced nervously up and
down the road. No car or pedestrian was in sight. The driver
scrambled to his place at the wheel. His brother crossed to the
alder bush behind whose shelter he had left the baby. Back he
came, on the run.
"'Tain't there!" he blithered. "'Tain't there! 'Tain't rolled
nowheres, neither. It's been took! Lord! What're we goin' to--?"
He got no further. His brother had scrambled down from the seat;
and pushed him aside, in a dash for the alder.
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