tely behind
him he did not turn his head, but kept his eye fixed as far backward
as he could, against the moment when she should come again into the
scope of his vision. "It seemed as important to him as it had the day
before to Strap to keep her always in his eye. It seemed--and always
seemed so long as I could study them together--intensely important."
Bran's mouth was stretched to "a sort of grin"; occasionally he
panted. When Beckwith entered the kennel and touched the dog (which
took little notice of him) he found him trembling with excitement. His
heart was beating at a great rate. He also drank quantities of water.

Beckwith, whose narrative, hitherto summarised, I may now quote, tells
us that the creature was indescribably graceful and light-footed.
"You couldn't hear the fall of her foot: you never could. Her dancing
and circling about the cage seemed to be the most important business
of her life; she was always at it, especially in bright weather. I
shouldn't have called it restlessness so much as busyness. It really
seemed to mean more to her than exercise or irritation at confinement.
It was evident also that she was happy when so engaged. She used to
sing. She sang also when she was sitting still with Bran; but not with
such exhilaration.

"Her eyes were bright--when she was dancing about--with mischief and
devilry. I cannot avoid that word, though it does not describe what I
really mean. She looked wild and outlandish and full of fun, as if she
knew that she was teasing the dog, and yet couldn't help herself. When
you say of a child that he looks wicked, you don't mean it literally;
it is rather a compliment than not. So it was with her and her
wickedness. She did look wicked, there's no mistake--able and willing
to do wickedly; but I am sure she never meant to hurt Bran. They were
always firm friends, though the dog knew very well who was master.

"When you looked at her you did not think of her height. She was so
complete; as well made as a statuette. I could have spanned her waist
with my two thumbs and middle fingers, and her neck (very nearly)
with one hand. She was pale and inclined to be dusky in complexion,
but not so dark as a gipsy; she had grey eyes, and dark-brown hair,
which she could sit upon if she chose. Her gown you could have sworn
was made of cobweb; I don't know how else to describe it. As I had
suspected, she wore nothing else, for while I was there that first
morning, so soon as th