pulled him up
on the bed. He immediately began to walk over her and lick her face.
It was the first time she had ever been kissed in her life that she
remembered. The next thing he did was to poke his little head into her
soup bucket, and begin to eat as if it belonged to him. He finished
the soup and began at the bone. This gave him the greatest delight.
He licked and nibbled and chewed it; got his fat paws in, and worked
over it. Molly, too, got the greatest pleasure out of it. She forgot
that she was hungry.

Suddenly he lay down and went fast asleep snuggled up against her.
Molly felt as if he were a little fat baby curled up in her arm. Her
life seemed suddenly to have opened. The only trouble was the fear
that Mrs. O'Meath might take him away and drive him out. To prevent
this was her dream. She thought of hiding him, but this was difficult;
besides, she wanted to tell Mrs. O'Meath about him.

The puppy stayed with her that night, sleeping beside her, and
snuggling up against her like a little child. Molly had never spent so
happy a night.

Next morning by light he was awake hunting for his knuckle-bone, and
when he got it went to work at it. In the midst of Molly's reflections
Mrs. O'Meath walked in. Her eye fell on Roy, and Molly's heart sank.

"What's that dirty dog doin' in this room?"

Roy answered for himself. The hair on his back rose and he began to
bark. Molly tried to check him.

"Where did ye git him?"

"Oh, Mrs. O'Meath, please, madam, let me keep him. He came from
heaven. I haven't anything, and I want him so. Hush! You must not
bark at Mrs. O'Meath. Hush, sir!"

But Roy just pulled loose, and, standing astride of Molly, barked worse
than ever.

"Not I, indeed. Out he goes. 'Ave I to be slavin' meself to death for
the two of you? It isn't enough for the wan of you, and him barkin' at
me like that."

"Oh, Mrs. O'Meath, please, madam! I will sew for you all my life, and
do everything you want me to do," cried Molly. "O God, don't let her
take him away from me!" she prayed.

Whether it was that Mrs. O'Meath was troubled by the great, anxious
eyes of the little girl, and did not have the heart to tear the dog
away from her, or whether she thought that perhaps Roy was a piece of
property worth preserving, she did not take him away. She simply
contented herself with abusing him for "a loud-mouthed little baste,"
and threatening to "teach him manners by choking the re