glint as he stood and watched with increasing fear
or suspicion, or both. Then he took a pace nearer, and another, followed
by the others, all staring now at Guard, tossing their heads ominously,
and pawing the ground as they sniffed the air.

And just at that unfortunate moment Penelope came around the bend, dancing
along light-heartedly, singing to herself the exercise she had just been
learning. Guard, looking about him eagerly, recognised her at once, and
with a yelp of joy dashed towards her.

Esther was not alarmed at his outcry. She guessed the cause of it, and
rising with feigned indifference went out from her shelter to meet her
sister. With cold, hard eyes and unsmiling face she looked towards
Penelope, framing the while her explanation of her presence there--only to
see that explanation had come too late.

The cattle, roused to anger by Guard's sudden bark and spring, were coming
down on him in a body, their pace growing faster, their anger increasing
with every step. In charging him they must inevitably charge Penelope
too. There was no escape for her, unless Guard ran away from her, drawing
the enemy off; but that, of course, he was not likely to do, he was too
pleased at seeing her again.

Esther saw and realised all at a glance, and the horror of it struck her
dumb. Once, twice, three times she tried to call. If she could only get
Guard away the cattle would follow him; but no voice came. She grew
desperate, mad with fear for her sister. Oh, if she could but get them to
come towards her and leave Pen. She tried to whistle, but her lips
trembled too much. She tried to shriek and failed, and when at last she
succeeded, the weak, strained voice could hardly be recognised as hers.
But Guard heard it. "Guard, Guard, come here!" she called, running a
little to draw him after her. The obedient old dog turned, saw the enemy,
and, all his fury aroused by the danger, charged them like a hurricane.

But what was one amongst so many! They overwhelmed him, were on him,
closed around him, and around Penelope too.

Esther saw it--saw her sister fall, saw the big beasts trampling over her,
and Guard in their midst barking, snarling, flying at their noses, dodging
away from their horns, and punishing them so severely that in spite of
their numbers the poor brutes gave up the game at last, worsted, and tore
away over the moor in the direction whence they had come, as though they
had a pack behind them.