brown eyes would wear when he found that she had apparently
deserted him.

At that moment, almost as though her thought had called him to her, she
heard him at the door. He did not scratch the panel, after the manner of
many of his kind, but stood upright and rattled the handle with his
nose; and Toni ran to open the door, feeling a positive criminal beneath
the warmth and confidence of his greeting.

She took him to the fireplace and snuggled down with him on the thick
fur rug on the hearth. She gave him his saucerful of tea, and fed him
recklessly with macaroons; but Jock was uneasy beneath her
ministrations.

There is no friend so quick to grasp a tense situation as a dog.
Although Toni spoke in almost her usual voice, and fondled him with more
than her usual affection, Jock knew quite well that there was something
wrong.

Leaving the last macaroon untouched, he came and stood close by her
side, looking up into her face with a puzzled, wistful expression, and
presently he stood up on his hind legs and licked her face solemnly with
his warm red tongue.

"Oh, Jock, you naughty boy," said Toni, between crying and laughter.
"You know you're not allowed to kiss me! But--oh, Jock, darling, how I
shall miss you!"

Two great tears fell on the dog's head; and others followed. In a minute
Toni was weeping her heart out; and the dog, rendered still more uneasy
by this behaviour, lifted up his voice in a melancholy whine.

Suddenly Toni dashed away her tears and started to her feet with a
suddenness which almost upset Jock.

"Jock, it's no use going on like this. We're a couple of idiots--at
least, I'm one, and you're a darling old stupid. But it's time to go,
Jock. To _go_. Do you hear? I'm leaving Greenriver, Jock, leaving my
home, my husband, everything I have in the world. I'm going away, Jock,
going with a man I hardly know. I shall be called wicked, and I suppose
I am; but I can't help it. I've got to go--but oh, Jock, how much easier
it would be to die!"

She took a last look round the beautiful room, which like most rooms
looked its best in the rosy firelight; and then she went slowly out,
Jock pressing closely to her side.

Up the broad stairs she went. In the gallery the Ten Little Ladies
burned bravely; and as she walked between them Toni could not see their
tiny flames for the tears which blurred her sight.

Very slowly she entered her room, Jock pressing beside her all the time.
It did not take long