er moment a shrill childish
scream rose in the air, which sent an awful chill through nurse's
blood; for she was now close upon the scene. She arrived just as Tom
Dart had got near enough to the dog to fire, and the report of a gun
went off as she clambered over a gate into the lane.

She saw the body of the poor beast in the road, with Tom standing over
it, but with trembling limbs made her way along to the little crowd now
assembled higher up the lane. They were bending down over something in
the middle of the road. Was it Betty?

'Is she safe? Who is hurt?' she gasped, as she pushed her way through.
There, in agony of grief and terror, Betty was sitting upon the ground,
shielding with her little arms her precious dog. 'You shan't take him
from me, you shan't; he's my very own, and he's nearly killed!' she was
crying frantically.

Nurse seized hold of her and the dog together. 'Are you hurt, child?
Speak! Thank God, it's only the dog!'

Farmer Giles was already there, questioning the excited crowd. 'He was
making straight for her, but the little dog dashed in front just in
time. See how he's bitten! Take him away from the little missy; he'll
have to be shot! 'Twas lucky for her she had him with her!' This and
more was told, with gaps and pauses; but Betty saw and heard nothing of
what was going on around her. She seemed almost beside herself with
terror and grief.

'Take us away, nurse! Get a doctor! he's bleeding! He mustn't, oh, he
mustn't die! Don't touch him! Oh, I won't, I won't let him go!'

'Come, come,' said Farmer Giles soothingly; 'I won't hurt him. We must
see where he is bitten; perhaps I can put him to rights. You let me
carry him home. There, see, he's been bitten in his neck, but you're
hurting him, holding him so tightly! You let me carry him for you, and
you can walk by my side.'

'Will you bathe him, and put a bandage round, and make him well again?'

There was hope dawning in the blue eye raised so trustfully to his; and
for a moment the farmer hesitated; then he said, 'We'll do the best for
him we can.'

And Betty opened her arms, and Prince was tenderly lifted up, and a
piece of sacking the farmer happened to have with him was wrapped round
him. He lifted his head, and tried to lick Betty's little hands as he
was being taken from her; and she with a fresh burst of sobbing got up
from the ground, and clutching hold of the farmer's coat, walked back
to the house with