Jewess; next, that a great "cosmopolitan" hugged a strict
corner of jealous monopoly; and again, that a champion of communism
insisted upon his exclusive right to other people's property. However,
for all that, it might not be easy to find a more consistent man.

Here Maunder, the surviving son, grew up, and Insie, their last child,
was born; and the land enjoyed peace for twenty years, because it was
of little value. A man who had been about the world so loosely must have
found it hard to be boxed up here, except for the lowering of strength
and pride by sorrow of affection, and sore bodily affliction. But the
air of the moorland is good for such troubles. Bert possessed a happy
nature; and perhaps it was well that his children could say, "We are
nine; but only two to feed."

It must have been the whistling wind, a long memorial sound, which sent
him, upon this snowy December night, back among the echoes of the past;
for he always had plenty of work to do, even in the winter evenings,
and was not at all given to folded arms. And before he was tired of his
short warm rest, his wife asked, "Where is Maunder?"

"I left him doing his work," he replied; "he had a great heap still to
clear. He understands his work right well. He will not go to bed till he
has done it. We must not be quite snowed up, my dear."

Mrs. Bert shook her head: having lost so many children, she was anxious
about the rest of them. But before she could speak again, a heavy leap
against the door was heard; the strong latch rattled, and the timbers
creaked. Insie jumped up to see what it meant, but her father stopped
her, and went himself. When he opened the door, a whirl of snow flew in,
and through the glitter and the flutter a great dog came reeling, and
rolled upon the floor, a mighty lump of bristled whiteness. Mrs. Bert
was terrified, for she thought it was a wolf, not having found it in her
power to believe that there could be such a desert place without wolves
in the winter-time.

"Why, Saracen!" said Insie; "I declare it is! You poor old dog, what can
have brought you out this weather?"

Both her parents were surprised to see her sit down on the floor and
throw her arms around the neck of this self-invited and very uncouth
visitor. For the girl forgot all of her trumpery concealments in the
warmth of her feeling for a poor lost dog.

Saracen looked at her, with a view to dignity. He had only seen her once
before, when Pet brought him down