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Dick； you don't mean to tell me you've gone and bought yourself
aa FEMALE dog？〃
The woman spoke in the tone of horrified contempt that might well
have been hers had she found a rattlesnake and a brace of toads
in her son's pocket。 And she lowered her voice； as is the manner
of her kind when forced to speak of the unspeakable。 She moved
back from the puppy's politely out…thrust forepaw as from the
passing of a garbage cart。
〃A female dog！〃 she reiterated。 〃Well； of all the chuckle…heads！
A nasty FEMALE dog； with your birthday money！〃
〃She's not one bit nasty！〃 flamed Dick； burying the grubby
fingers of his right hand protectively in the fluffy mass of the
puppy's half…grown ruff。 〃She's the dandiest dog ever！ She〃
〃Don't talk back to me！〃 snapped Mrs。 Hazen。 〃Here！ Turn right
around and take her to the cheats who sold her to you。 Tell them
to keep her and give you the good money you paid for her。 Take
her out of my yard this minute！ Quick！〃
A hot mist of tears sprang into the boy's eyes。 Lass； with the
queer intuition that tells a female collie when her master is
unhappy； whined softly and licked his clenched hand。
〃Iaw； PLEASE； Ma！〃 he begged chokingly。 〃PLEASE！ It'sit's my
birthday； and everything。 Please let me keep her。 II love her
better than 'most anything there is。 Can't I please keep her？
Please！〃
〃You heard what I said；〃 returned his mother curtly。
The washerwoman； who one day a week lightened Mrs。 Hazen's
household labors； waddled into view from behind the billows of
wind…swirled clothes。 She was an excellent person； and was built
for endurance rather than for speed。 At sight of Lass she paused
in real interest。
〃My！〃 she exclaimed with flattering approval。 〃So you got your
dog； did you？ You didn't waste no time。 And he's sure a handsome
little critter。 Whatcher goin' to call him？〃
〃It's not a him； Irene；〃 contradicted Mrs。 Hazen； with another
modest lowering of her strong voice。 〃It's a HER。 And I'm sending
Dick back with her； to where she came from。 I've got my opinion
of people who will take advantage of a child's ignorance； by
palming off a horrid female dog on him； too。 Take her away； Dick。
I won't have her here another minute。 You hear me？〃
〃Please； Ma！〃 stammered Dick； battling with his desire to cry。
〃Aw； PLEASE！ II〃
〃Your ma's right； Dick；〃 chimed in the washerwoman； her first
interested glance at the puppy changing to one of refined and
lofty scorn。 〃Take her back。 You don't want any female dogs
around。 No nice folks do。〃
〃Why not？〃 demanded the boy in sudden hopeless anger as he
pressed lovingly the nose Lass thrust so comfortingly into his
hand。 〃WHY don't we want a female dog around？ Folks have female
cats around them； and female women。 Why isn't a female dog〃
〃That will do； Dick！〃 broke in his shocked mother。 〃Take her
away。〃
〃I won't；〃 said the boy； speaking very slowly； and with no
excitement at all。
A slap on the side of his head； from his mother's punitive palm；
made him stagger a little。 Her hand was upraised for a second
installment of rebellion…quellingwhen a slender little body
flashed through the air and landed heavily against her chest。 A
set of white puppy…teeth all but grazed her wrathful red face。
Lass； who never before had known the impulse to attack； had
jumped to the rescue of the beaten youngster whom she had adopted
as her god。 The woman screeched in terror。 Dick flung an arm
about the furry whirlwind that was seeking to avenge his
punishment； and pulled the dog back to his side。
Mrs。 Hazen's shriek； and the obbligato accompaniment of the
washerwoman； made an approaching man quicken his steps as he
strolled around the side of the house。 The newcomer was Dick's
father； superintendent of the local bottling works。 On his way
home to lunch； he walked in on a scene of hysteria。
〃Kill her； sir！〃 bawled the washerwoman； at sight of him。 〃Kill
her！ She's a mad dog。 She just tried to kill Miz' Hazen！〃
〃She didn't do anything of the kind！〃 wailed Dick。 〃She was
pertecting me。 Ma hit me； and Lass〃
〃Ed！〃 tearily proclaimed Mrs。 Hazen； 〃if you don't send for a
policeman to shoot that filthy beast； I'll〃
〃Hold on！〃 interrupted the man； at a loss to catch the drift of
these appeals； by reason of their all being spoken in a
succession so rapid as to make a single blurred sentence。 〃Hold
on！ What's wrong？ And where did the pup come from？ He's a looker；
all right a cute little cuss。 What's the row？〃
With the plangently useless iterations of a Greek chorus； the
tale was flung at him； piecemeal and in chunks； and in a triple
key。 When presently he understood； Hazen looked down for a moment
at the puppywhich was making sundry advances of a shy but
friendly nature toward him。 Then he looked at the boy； and noted
Dick's hero…effort to choke back the onrush of babyish sobs。 And
then； with a roughly tolerant gesture； he silenced the two
raucous women； who were beginning the tale over again for the
third time。
〃I see；〃 he said。 〃I see。 I see how it is。 Needn't din it at me
any more； folks。 And I see Dicky's side of it； too。 Yes； and I
see the pup's side of it。 I know a lot about dogs。 That pup isn't
vicious。 She knows she belongs to Dick。 You lammed into him； and
she took up and defended him。 That's all there is to the 'mad…
dog' part of it。〃
〃But Ed〃 sputtered his wife。
〃Now； you let ME do the talking； Sade！〃 he insisted； half…
grinning； yet more than half grimly。 〃I'm the boss here。 If I'm
not； then it's safe to listen to me till the boss gets here。 And
we're goin' to do whatever I say we arewithout any back…talk or
sulks； either。 It's this way： Your brother gave the boy a
birthday check。 We promised he could spend it any way he had a
mind to。 He said he wanted a dog； didn't he？ And I said； 'Go to
it！' didn't I ？ Well； he got the dog。 Just because it happens to
be a she； that's no reason why he oughtn't to be allowed to keep
it。 And he can。 That goes。〃
〃Oh； Dad！〃 squealed Dick in grateful heroworship。 〃You're a
brick！ I'm not ever going to forget this； so long as I live。 Say；
watch her shake hands； Dad！ I've taught her； already； to〃
〃Ed Hazen！〃 loudly protested his wife。 〃Of all the softies！ You
haven't backbone enough for a prune。 And if my orders to my own
son are going to be〃
〃That'll be all； Sade！〃 interposed the man stifflyadding： 〃By
the way； I got a queer piece of news to tell you。 Come into the
kitchen a minute。〃
Grumbling； rebellious； scowling；yet unable to resist the lure
of a 〃queer piece of news；〃 Mrs。 Hazen followed her husband
indoors； leaving Dick and his pet to gambol deliriously around
the clothes…festooned yard in celebration of their victory。
〃Listen here； old girl！〃 began Hazen the moment the kitchen door
was shut behind them。 〃Use some sense； can't you？ I gave you the
wink； and you wouldn't catch on。 So I had to make