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he had said； as he started out：
〃Not to…night； Chummie。 Stay here。〃
Obediently the big dog would lay himself down with a sigh on the
porch edge； his head between his white little forepaws； his sorrowful
brown eyes following the progress of his master down the lane to the
highroad。
But he grieved； as only a sensitive highbred dog can grievea dog who
asks nothing better of life than permission to live and to die at the side of
the man he has chosen as his god； to follow that god out into rain or chill；
to starve with him； if need be； to suffer at his handsin short； to do or to
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be anything except to be separated from him。
Link Ferris had gotten into the habit of leaving Chum alone at home；
oftener and oftener of late； as his own evening absences from the farm
grew more and more frequent。
He left Chum at home because She did not like dogs。
〃She〃 was Dorcas Chatham； the daughter of Hampton's postmaster and
general storekeeper。
Old Man Chatham in former days would have welcomed Cal Whitson；
the official village souse； to his home as readily as he would have admitted
the ne'er…do…well Link Ferris to that sanctuary。 But of late he had noted the
growing improvement in Link's fortunes； as evidenced by his larger store
trade； his invariable cash payments and the frequent money orders which
went in his name to the Paterson savings bank。
Wherefore； when Dorcas met Link at a church sociable and again on a
straw ride and asked him to come and see her some time； her sire made no
objection。 Indeed he welcomed the bashful caller with something like an
approach to cordiality。
Dorcas was a calm…eyed； efficient damsel； more than a little pretty； and
with much repose of manner。 Link Ferris； from the first； eyed her with a
certain awe。 When a mystic growing attraction was added to this and when
it in turn merged into love； the sense of awe was not lost。 Rather it was
strengthened。
In all his thirty…one lean and lonely years Link had never before fallen
in love。 At the age when most youths are sighing over some wonder girl；
he had been too busy fighting off bankruptcy and starvation to have time
or thought for such things。
Wherefore； when love at last smote him it smote him hard。 And it
found him woefully unprepared for the battle。
He knew nothing of women。 He did not know； for example； what the
average youth finds out in his teensthat grave eyes and silent aloofness
and lofty self…will and icy pietism in a maiden do not always signify that
she is a saint and that she must be worshiped as such。 Ferris had no one to
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tell him that far oftener these signs point merely to stupid narrowness and
to lack of ideas。
Dorcas was clever at housework。 She was quietly self…assured。 She
was good to look upon。 She was not like any of the few girls Link had met。
Wherefore he built for her a sacred shrine in his innermost heart； and he
knelt before her image there。
If Ferris found her different from the other Hampton girls； Dorcas
found him equally different from the local swains she knew。 She
recognized his hidden strength。 The maternal element in her nature
sympathized with his loneliness and with the marks it had left upon his
soul。
For the resthe was neither a village cut…up like Con Skerly； nor a
solemn mass of conceit like Royal Crews； nor patronizing like young
Lawyer Wetherell； nor vaguely repulsive like old Cap'n Baldy Todd； who
came furtively a…courting her。 Link was different。 And she liked him。 She
liked him more and more。
Once her parents took Dorcas and her five…year…old sister； Olive； on a
Sunday afternoon ramble； which led eventually to the Ferris farm。 Link
welcomed the chance callers gladly； and showed them over the place。
Dorcas's housewifely eye rejoiced in the well…kept house； even while she
frowned inwardly at its thousand signs of bachelor inefficiency。 The stock
and the crops； too； spoke of solid industry。
But she shrank back in sudden revolt as a huge tawny collie came
bounding toward her from the fold where he had just marshaled the sheep
for the night。 The dog was beautiful。 And he meant her no harm。 He even
tried shyly to make friends with the tall and grave…eyed guest。 Dorcas saw
all that。 Yet she shrank from him with instinctive fearin spite of it。
As a child she had been bittenand bitten badlyby a nondescript
mongrel that had been chased into the Chatham backyard by a crowd of
stone…throwing boys； and which she had sought to oust with a stick from
its hiding place under the steps。 Since then Dorcas had had an
unconquerable fear and dislike of dogs。 The feeling was unconquerable
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because she had made no effort to conquer it。 She had henceforth judged
all dogs by the one whose teeth marks had left a lifelong scar on her white
forearm。
She had the good breeding not to let Ferris see her distaste for his pet
that he was just then exhibiting so proudly to the guests。 Her shrinking
was imperceptible； even to a lover's solicitous eye。 But Chum noted it。
And with a collie's odd sixth sense he knew this intruder did not like him。
Not that her aversion troubled Chum at all； but it puzzled him。 People
as a rule were effusively eager to make friends with Chum。 Andbeing
ultraconservative； like the best type of colliehe found their handling and
other attentions annoying。 He had taken a liking to Dorcas； at sight。 But
since she did not return this liking Chum was well content to keep away
from her。
He was the more content； because five…year…old Olive had flung
herself； with loud squeals of rapture； bodily on the dog； and had clasped
her fat little arms adoringly round his massive furry throat in an ecstasy of
delight。
Chum had never before been brought into such close contact with a
child。 And Link watched with some slight perturbation the baby's
onslaught。 But in a moment Ferris's mind was at rest。
At first touch of the baby'