, 1882-02-17
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.

+be great logs crackle and hare up the
'si1e chimney, up which it is my wont
70 saw YOU could drive coach and four
drcw nv chair nearer to it, with n
shiver, "What night y say.
us it still snowing?" asks my wife,
,rbo sits opposite to me. her books and
work on the table beside her.
Fast. You can scarcely see yard
"Heayen help any poor creature on
tbe moor tonight !" says she.
"Who would venture out? 1t began
snowing before dark, and all the people
about know the danger OF being benight-
cd on the moor in snow storm
eyes. But | have known people
frozen 10 death hereabOuts before now.
NV wife is Scotch, and this pleasant
house in the Highlands is hers. We are
irving o winter in it for the first time,
and find it excessively cold and some
what dull. Mentally decide that in the
fntnre we will only grace it with our
presence during the shooting season.
Presently go to the window and look
out: it has ceased showing, and through
a rift in the clouds see star.
at is beginning to clear" l tell my
wife, and also inform her that 1t is past
eleven. AS she lights her candle at the
side-table hear whining and scratch
ing Mt the front door.
"There is Laddie loose again, says
she. Would you let him in, dear ?"
I did not like facing the cold wind,
Int could not refuse to let the poor ami
NAL in. Strangely enough, when L
opened the door and called him he
wouldn't come. He runs up to the door
and looks into my face with dumb en-
treaty; then he runs back few steps,
looking round to see if am following;
and. finally, he takes my coat in his
mouth and tries to draw me out.
Taddie won't come in," | call out to
nv wife "On the contrary, he seems
N want me to go out and have game Of
snowfall with him."
She throws n shawl round her and
comes TO the door. The coolie WAS hers
before we we're married, and she is al
most as fond of him, tell her, as she is
of Jack, our eldest boy.
"Laddie, Laddie p she calls, "come
in. sir" He comes obediently mt her
call but refuses to enter the house, and
pursues the same dumb pantomine he
has already tried on me.
81 shall shut him out, Jessie" l say.
"a night in the snow wont hurt him."
and prepared to close the door,
"You will do nothing OF the kind y
she replies, with an anxious look, but
YOU will rouse the servants at once, and
follow him. Some one is lost in the
snow, and Laddie knows it."
laugh. Really, Jessie, you are alb
oll:n 10 n animal No
doubt but cannot believe that he ID rs
clever as th.t. How can he possibly
know whett " any one is lost in the
snow or notN
Because ''e has found them, and
ccme back tc us for help. Look at him
now"
cannC ut own that the dog seems
restless uneasy, and is evidently en-
deayoring 10 coax MS to follow him; he
looks at us with pathetic entreaty in his
eloquenteyes. why wont you believe
me 2" he seems to ask.
Con )" She continues; "you know
you could not rest while there was q
possibility of felow-creature wanting
yourassistance. And am certain Lad
die IS not deceivipg us"
What is poor hen-pecked man to do?
Igrumble, and resist, and yield; MS /
Shaye often grumbled, and resisted, and
yielded before. and as | doubtless often
shallagain.
'Laddie once found q man in the
snow before, but he was dead" Jessie
says, as she hurried of to fill the flask
with brandy and get ready for us some
blankets to take with us. In the mean
time, rouse the servants.
They were all English, with the ex-
ception of Donald, the gardener, and |
can see that they are scoifingly skeptioal
Of Ladies' sagacity, and inwardly dis
gusted at having to turn out of their
warm beds, and face the bitter winters
nght."'
"Dinna trouble yerselfs," hear old
Donald say. "The mistress is right
mony Christian, and will find some
thing in the snaw this night"
Don't sit up, jessie" ] say as we
start; I'VE may be out half the night on
hls wild goose chase"
Follow Laddie closely" WAS the only
reply she made.
The dog springs forth with q joyous
bark, constantly looking back to see if
we were following. As we pass through
the avenue gates and emerge on to the
moor, the moon struggles for q moment
through the driving clouds, and lights
up with q sickly CLEAN tho snow-clad
country before us.
Its like looking for needle in n
bundle Of hay, SIR" says John, the
coachman, confidently, "to think as we
should find anybody on such night as
this Why, in some places the snow is
more than couple O. feet thick, and it
goes again reason to think that O dumb
animal yonld have the sense to come
home and fetch help"
"Bide wee, bide a wee," says old
DONALD 81 hinnn hon rrhnt rnr I'm nlis n