It was not until she drew near the village that she began to wonder
what the people would think of the change in her appearance, and a
great shyness seized her, and reluctance to go on and meet their
looks of surprise, and their open remarks. The feeling grew and grew
with every step she took, until she had begun to wonder if she could
ever bring herself to face them, when suddenly her mind was lifted
off her fears by the extraordinary behaviour of Dick.

Growling savagely, his hair rising stiffly along his back, he was
walking more and more slowly, and drawing in closer and closer to
Huldah, as his habit was when he felt he must protect her.

"Why, Dick," she cried, puzzled and half-alarmed, "what is it old
man? whatever is the matter?" Then, her eyes following the direction
of his, she saw, standing by a gate deep-set in the hedge, two young
men. To her they seemed harmless enough, just two ordinary-looking
strangers, and if it had not been for Dick's behaviour, she would
have passed them by without a thought. But evidently they were not
harmless in Dick's eyes, for his growls and snarls grew louder and
more forbidding the nearer he approached.

The men looked surprised and frightened, and, like most frightened
people, they lost their tempers. "Hold in your dog, can't you?"
cried one. "You've no right to keep a brute like that."

At the sound of the man's voice Huldah felt a shock of surprise, and
Dick's anger increased alarmingly. Where had she heard that voice
before? She was sure it sounded familiar.

Without replying, she laid her hand on Dick's collar, and held him
close to her.

The other man grew more threatening. "I'll go to the p'lice, and
tell 'em you've got a savage dog that ought to be shot, 'cause he
isn't safe!" he shouted out, furious with anger and fear.

"He isn't savage, he's good-tempered," Huldah burst forth, at last.
"He won't hurt anybody unless they was up to no good, and--and
deserved it." She was very near the verge of tears, but she felt she
must not break down then.

"Call him good-tempered, do you? We wasn't doing anything but just
standing here, and he come along ready to fly at our throats!"

Huldah could not deny the man's statement, nor could she explain.
The men certainly seemed to be doing no harm, and Dick's behaviour
was very extraordinary. All she could do was to clutch his collar
with all her strength, and hurry away as fast as she could go.
All thoughts of