he burst into a storm of
wild barking. Of course the sparrow was by this time away down near
Lake Simcoe, but Trip still continued his uproar. He did not bark, he
fairly squalled out all his long pent-up rage, leaping and dancing on
his wicked little hind legs, and making noise enough to scare every
bird out of Forest Glen woods.

The consternation was not confined to the birds. Everybody stood up
and exclaimed in horror. Martha Ellen was so alarmed that she screamed
right out loud, and ran across the aisle to Mr. Coulson for protection.
Noah Clegg dropped the collection all over the floor, and Silas Pratt
put on his spectacles again and ejaculated, "Well, well, well, well!"
Even the daring Charles Stuart was rather dismayed at the havoc he had
wrought, and as for poor Elizabeth, words could not describe how rent
and torn she was between shame and terror. Sandy McLachlan was the
only one who seemed equal to the emergency. He arose, exclaiming
explosively, "For peety's sake!" and in two minutes the dog was flying
through the doorway with yelps of terror, followed by several profane
anathemas upon his wicked little head for "pollutin' the hoose o' God."

Noah Clegg gathered up the pennies and took his place upon the platform
as if nothing had happened. Any rare case of insubordination in the
Sunday school was never dealt with there. It was left to home
discipline, which, being of the good old Canadian sort, was always
salutary. So, knowing by the MacAllister's lowering countenance that
dire consequences awaited his son upon his return home, Noah gave out
the closing hymn, with undisturbed cheerfulness:

"Come along now, boys and girls, an' we'll sing our closin' 'ymn.
Never mind the poor little puppy, there ain't no bad in him at all.
Come along an' we'll sing No. 148--'Oh, 'Appy Day,' and then you'll go
out an' fill your lungs full o' hair before church starts."

CHAPTER IV

AT THE EDGE OF THE DAWN

There were many Sabbaths indelibly impressed upon Elizabeth's memory,
but none that burned its way in as did that afternoon's experience with
Trip. The misery of sitting through the long church service, with the
awful guilt upon her soul, and the thoughts of approaching retribution,
almost made her physically ill. As yet there was very little fortitude
in Elizabeth's soul. She was the only coward in the Gordon family,
John was wont to say, and, though she dreamed of valorous deeds as the
successor of