"There's everything to keep you here," gently contradicted the Master. "You'll stay here till Lad's out of danger--if I have to steal your trousers and your car. You're going to cure him. And if you do, you can write your bill on a Liberty Bond." Two hours later Lad opened his eyes. He was swathed in smelly bandages and he was soaked in liniments. Patches of hair had been shaved away from his worst wounds. Digitalis was reinforcing his faint heart-action. He looked up at the Mistress with his only available eye. By a herculean struggle he wagged his tail--just once. And he essayed the trumpeting bark wherewith he always welcomed her return after an absence. The bark was a total failure. After which Lad tried to tell the Mistress the story of the battle. Very weakly, but very persistently he "talked." His tones dropped now and then to the shadow of a ferocious growl as he related his exploits and then scaled again to a puppy-like whimper. He had done a grand day's work, had Lad, and he wanted applause. He had suffered much and he was still in racking pain, and he wanted sympathy and petting. Presently he fell asleep. * * * * * It was two weeks before Lad could stand upright, and two more before he could go out of doors unhelped. Then on a warm, early spring morning, the vet' declared him out of all danger. Very thin was the invalid, very shaky, snow-white of muzzle and with the air of an old, old man whose too-fragile body is sustained only by a regal dignity. But he was _alive_. Slowly he marched from his piano cave toward the open front door. Wolf--in black disgrace for the past month--chanced to be crossing the living-room toward the veranda at the same time. The two dogs reached the door-way simultaneously. Very respectfully, almost cringingly, Wolf stood aside for Lad to pass out. His sire walked by with never a look. But his step was all at once stronger and springier, and he held his splendid head high. For Lad knew he was still king! THE END. AFTERWORD The stories of Lad, in various magazines, found unexpectedly kind welcome. Letters came to me from soldiers and sailors in Europe, from hosts of children; from men and women, everywhere. Few of the letter-writers bothered to praise the stories, themselves. But all of them praised Lad, which pleased me far better. And more than a hundred of them wanted to know if he were a real dog: and if the tales of his exploits were true. Perhaps those of you who have followed Lad's adventures, through these pages, may also be a little interested to know more about him. Yes, Lad was a "real" dog--the greatest dog by far, I have known or shall know. And the chief happenings in nearly all of my Lad stories are absolutely true. This accounts for such measure of success as the stories may have won.