ave in
Greyfriars. The steps up which he had come lay in plain view from the
doorway of the chapel. Bobby dropped down the stairs, and turned into
the main roadway of the Castle. At the first arch that spanned it a
red-coated guard paced on the other side of a closed gate. It would
not be locked until tattoo, at nine thirty, but, without a pass, no one
could go in or out. Bobby sprang on the bars and barked, as much as to
say: "Come awa', man, I hae to get oot."

The guard stopped, presented arms to this small, peremptory terrier,
and inquired facetiously if he had a pass. Bobby bristled and yelped
indignantly. The soldier grinned with amusement. Sentinel duty was
lonesome business, and any diversion a relief. In a guardhouse asleep
when Bobby came into the Castle, he had not seen the little dog before
and knew nothing about him. He might be the property of one of the
regiment ladies. Without orders he dared not let Bobby out. A furious
and futile onslaught on the gate he met with a jocose feint of his
bayonet. Tiring of the play, presently, the soldier turned his back and
paced to the end of his beat.

Bobby stopped barking in sheer astonishment. He gazed after the stiff,
retreating back, in frightened disbelief that he was not to be let out.
He attacked the stone under the barrier, but quickly discovered its
unyielding nature. Then he howled until the sentinel came back, but when
the man went by without looking at him he uttered a whimpering cry and
fled upward. The roadway was dark and the dusk was gathering on the
citadel when Bobby dashed across the summit and down into the brightly
lighted square of the Palace Yard.

The gas-lamps were being lighted on the bridge, and Mr. Traill was
getting into his streetcoat for his call on Mr. Brown when Tammy put his
head in at the door of the restaurant. The crippled laddie had a warm,
uplifted look, for Love had touched the sordid things of life, and a
miracle had bloomed for the tenement dwellers around Greyfriars.

"Maister Traill, Mrs. Brown says wull ye please send Bobby hame. Her
gude-mon's frettin' for 'im; an' syne, a' the folk aroond the kirkyaird
hae come to the gate to see the bittie dog's braw collar. They wullna
believe the Laird Provost gied it to 'im for a chairm gin they dinna see
it wi' their gin een."

"Why, mannie, Bobby's no' here. He must be in the kirkyard."

"Nae, he isna. I ca'ed, an' Ailie keeked in ilka place amang the
stanes."

They stared