an artist combined with the pink
of spinsterly propriety; and he could see no humour in the incident, but
always declared that he felt nervous during his visit at the Grange lest
Bob's punishing jaws should mistake his antecedents and profession.

"But now, Lady Constance, it is your turn, as the children say."

* * * * *

"I have a very clever old dog at home," said Lady Constance, turning to
the children, "called 'Sloe.' She was, in her youth and prime, a most
valuable retriever, but now is grown too old to do much but sleep in the
sunshine. Eddie and Molly were given some time ago two pretty young
white rabbits. They looked like balls of white fluff, and were the
prettiest toy-like pets you can imagine. One night, unfortunately, they
escaped from their protecting hutch.

"Sloe is one of those dogs that cannot resist temptation, and although
she has often been whipped and scolded for massacring rabbits, never
listens to the voice of conscience. In fact, she hardly seems as if she
could help doing so, and appears to think, like the naughty boy of the
story, that, in spite of the beating, the fun was too great to forgo.

[Sidenote: Sloe and Duchess]

"Sloe is always loose, but has a kennel to sleep in at nights in the
stable-yard. Opposite to her kennel is chained another dog--a
retriever--'Duchess' by name, a lovely dog of a soft flaxen colour. This
dog on this occasion, it so happened, had not yet been unchained.

"Sloe disappeared amongst the shrubberies, and found there her innocent
victims. The poor little things were soon caught, and breathed their
last in her ferocious jaws. When Sloe had killed them she did not care
to eat them, and, strange to say, she determined not to bury them, but
resolved that it should appear that the murder had been committed by her
companion, and that Duchess should bear the blame.

"It is said that she is jealous of her companion sharing the favour of
her master, and so decided upon doing her a bad turn.

"Prompted probably by this evil thought, she carried her victims one
after the other into Duchess's kennel and left them there. The coachman,
who was up betimes cleaning his harness, saw her do this. After which
the old sly-boots retired to her own lair and went to sleep as if
nothing had happened."

* * * * *

"Did you ever owe your life to a dog?" inquired Colonel Hamilton,
turning to Lady Constance.

"Oh, y