The Land of the Muskeg 297 



As his life ebbed, each member of the 

 family kneeled down for Shep's farewell 

 kiss. Tenderly the dog's long affectionate 

 tongue stole out and licked the hands of 

 those whom he loved with a devotion that 

 puts to shame the fidelity of mere man. 



Thus with the scent of those dear hands 

 that had caressed him, in his nostrils, the 

 faithful dog had departed. Gone, who 

 shall say where, but if love and devotion 

 count for anything in the brute kingdom, 

 he cannot be far from his master. 



Even after his faithful nose could no 

 longer distinguish the scent of his friends, 

 the bushy brown tail upon the floor con- 

 tinued to whack, showing that the faithful 

 dog's last impulse was to express more of 

 that devotion which he still felt dimly as 

 his dying impulse down in the dark and 

 the cold. 



When the tail had given its last faint 

 flutter, the young men picked him up 



