And the cat was wont to take advantage of this dread by making forays on Lady's supper dish.
But, ever, Lad would swoop down upon the marauder, as Lady cowered whimperingly back on her haunches; and would harry the indignant cat up the nearest tree; herding her there until Lady had licked the dish clean.
Lad went further, in his fealty to the puppy.

Sacrificing his own regal dignity, he would romp with her, at times when it would have been far more comfortable to drowse.

He bore, without murmur, her growling assaults on his food; amusedly standing aside while she annexed his supper's choicest bits.
He endured, too, her occasional flurries of hot temper; and made no protest when Lady chose to wreak some grievance against life by flying at him with bristling ruff and jaws asnarl.

Her keen little milk teeth hurt like the mischief, when they dug into his ears or his paws, in one of these rage-gusts.

But he did not resent the pain or the indignity by so much as drawing back out of harm's way.