forth," and they crowded around him, and wrung
his hand cordially and thankfully, and praised him.

But I hardly saw or heard these things, for I ran at once to my little
darling, and snuggled close to it where it lay, and licked the blood,
and it put its head against mine, whimpering softly, and I knew in
my heart it was a comfort to it in its pain and trouble to feel its
mother's touch, though it could not see me. Then it drooped down,
presently, and its little velvet nose rested upon the floor, and it
was still, and did not move any more.

Soon the master stopped discussing a moment, and rang in the footman,
and said, "Bury it in the far corner of the garden," and then went on
with the discussion, and I trotted after the footman, very happy and
grateful, for I knew the puppy was out of its pain now, because it was
asleep. We went far down the garden to the furthest end, where the
children and the nurse and the puppy and I used to play in the summer
in the shade of a great elm, and there the footman dug a hole, and I
saw he was going to plant the puppy, and I was glad, because it would
grow and come up a fine handsome dog, like Robin Adair, and be a
beautiful surprise for the family when they came home; so I tried to
help him dig, but my lame leg was no good, being stiff, you know, and
you have to have two, or it is no use. When the footman had finished
and covered little Robin up, he patted my head, and there were tears
in his eyes, and he said, "Poor little doggie, you SAVED _his_ child."

I have watched two whole weeks, and he doesn't come up! This last
week a fright has been stealing upon me. I think there is something
terrible about this. I do not know what it is, but the fear makes me
sick, and I cannot eat, though the servants bring me the best of food;
and they pet me so, and even come in the night, and cry, and say,
"Poor doggie--do give it up and come home; _don't_ break our hearts!"
and all this terrifies me the more, and makes me sure something has
happened. And I am so weak; since yesterday I cannot stand on my feet
any more. And within this hour the servants, looking toward the sun
where it was sinking out of sight and the night chill coming on, said
things I could not understand, but they carried something cold to my
heart.

"Those poor creatures! They do not suspect. They will come home in
the morning, and eagerly ask for the little doggie that did the brave
deed, and who of us will be strong enoug