-struck at the dead hound that lay just
beyond the curb-stone, and at Charley, lying all mangled and perfectly
still in the arms of a policeman. A cart with cushions in it backed up
to the curb, and just as the policeman was trying to move Charley so as
to lay him on the cushions, he moaned and opened his eyes. He looked at
the children. They saw this look, and crowded up to the cart, sobbing.

One of them exclaimed, "Oh, Charley, we'll never call ye 'Polly' no
more!"

Another boy leaned close over Charley, and said, "The men sez as ye're a
real hero, Charley; jist ye brace up!"

[Illustration: CHARLEY IN THE HOSPITAL.]

A faint smile passed over Charley's face. He turned his eyes, with the
same kind, calm look in them, among the people, till he saw Biddy. Then
the tired eyes flashed with joy. He saw that she was quite safe. He
moved his hand a little toward her. Her lips quivered; she reached out
her arms; and they placed her in the cart on the cushions by Charley's
side. Just before it started, Biddy asked the little boy who had last
spoken to Charley to go and tell Mr. Kennedy what had happened, and to
say that she should stay with Charley till he got well. When Mr. Kennedy
reached the hospital, Biddy was crying as if her heart would break, and
poor, brave, tender, bashful little Charley had got quite well, and had
gone home to be with his Father.

The shock and the sorrow of little Charley's death changed Biddy very
much. It was long before Mr. and Miss Kennedy could persuade her that
she was not to blame for it. It seemed to the poor child as if she had
been cruel to climb into safety, leaving Charley to such a fate. But she
had really not been at all to blame. She had obeyed Charley's startling
and earnest cry, without thinking, or even having time to think, until
it was too late to act in any other way.

After a time the sharpness of this sorrow passed away, and the thought
of Charley became full of comfort and help to Biddy. As she grew older
she could understand that if Charley had lived, he could not have been
very happy, he was so feeble, and shrank from people so much. And she
could feel, if she did not understand, that his death was a noble one,
an act of love so simple and so whole that it was a gift, the gift of a
great example, helping every one who knew of it to be more brave and
true.

Biddy lived on with the Kennedys, and she has helped Mr. Kennedy from
time to time to find out little children