rst to speak. The young lady went on hugging at Bruno,
and taking no notice of any of us. Papa looked very grave. I think he
thought it rather rude of her, even if she was so pleased to find her
dog again, for she might have seen how well he had been taken care of,
and what a beautiful new collar he had. Papa waited a minute or two, and
then he said, rather grandly, you know----

"Excuse me, madam, for interrupting you. I should be glad of some
explanation about the dog. Is he your dog?"

"_My_ dog," said the girl, half sitting up and shaking her hair back. It
had got messy with all her hugging at Bruno. "I should rather think so.
I have nothing to explain. What do you mean?"

"I beg your pardon," said papa. "I have had the dog nearly a month, and
during that time I have advertised him regularly. I have sent all about
the neighbourhood to ask if any one had lost a dog, and altogether I
have had a good deal of trouble and expense."

The girl got rather red.

"I see," she said, "I didn't think of that. I was only so glad to find
my dear dog. I'm very much obliged to you, I'm sure. I can tell you why
your advertisements were never answered. We've been away for nearly a
month, and the people here whom we lodge with have been very stupid
about it. They missed Rollo as soon as we left, and took for granted
we'd taken him with us after all. And we never knew till we came back
two days ago that he was lost. He was lonely, you see, when he found I
had gone, and I suppose he set out to look for me."

"Yes," said papa. "Then I suppose there is nothing more to be said. My
children must bear the disappointment; they had naturally come to look
upon him as their own."

Persis and I had turned away, so she couldn't see we were crying. We
didn't want her to see; we didn't like her.

"I--I can't offer to pay you anything of what he's cost you, I suppose?"
she said, getting redder still.

"Certainly not. Good-morning," and papa lifted his hat. And we all went
off.

"My poor Persis and Archie," said papa very kindly. And when he said
that, we felt as if we couldn't keep it in any longer. We both burst
out crying--loud.

Just then we heard steps behind us. It was the girl running with the
lovely new collar in her hand.

"This at least is yours," she said, holding it out to papa. He smiled a
little.

"You will please us by keeping it," he said. "It fits him; you can
easily have the engraving altered."

"Thank you," she sai