e Doctor took Leon down into the city, to show
him about, and more especially to have proper clothing prepared for
him. They returned to the Villa Medjora, as Madame called their home,
just in time to hear the voice of the Doctor's wife raised in anger.
She was enraged because the butler had opened a box and released
Lossy.

"It is bad enough to have the beggar boy thrust upon me," she had
exclaimed. "I will not tolerate the nuisance of having a pest like
this about the premises. Put him back in his box, and take him away
from here instantly. Do you hear?"

The butler heard, but did not heed. He had learned that the Doctor was
the master, and having received explicit orders in relation to the
dog, he proceeded to put them into effect, despite the protests of
Madame. Thus Lossy was bathed, combed, dried, and fed, Madame watching
the performance from a window, and continuing her violent tirade,
becoming more and more angered as she realized the impotency of her
wrath.

As the Doctor and his _protege_ entered the grounds, Lossy bounded
along the walk, barking delightedly at the sight of his master. For
one moment the lad's cup of happiness was full, but in the next a
dread entered his heart. He distinctly heard Madame say:

"I'll poison that beast!" With which she closed the window and
disappeared. Leon looked appealingly at the Doctor, whose brows were
knit together in an ominous frown.

"Do not be alarmed, Leon," said he, "I will guarantee that Madame will
not carry her threat into execution. She is a woman of hasty temper,
and often speaks without reflection. She is annoyed because the dog
has come, but when she learns that he will not disturb her in any way,
her resentment will pass. Lossy is safe. Let your mind rest easy on
that point." He placed his hand upon Leon's shoulder and looked at him
with reassuring kindliness. Leon felt slightly relieved, but when he
retired to rest that night, in the room allotted to him, he secretly
carried Lossy with him, and the dog slept at the foot of his master's
bed.

CHAPTER VII.

A WIZARD'S TEACHING.

During the six months which followed, Leon advanced rapidly in his
studies. His regular routine was to spend a specified number of hours
each day in the magnificently appointed chemical laboratory; to
accompany the Doctor upon many of his professional rounds, especially
to hospital cases, and to the tenements of the poor; and in the
evening it became usually their