re generous scale than his income justified, had led to a
break-up of his country home, with its big kennels and stabling,
and a descent upon London in pursuit of economical living and
increased earnings. Parting with the kennels and their inhabitants
had been the severest wrench of all; and it is probable that, even
in the mean little town flat, room would have been found for Tara,
the well-loved mother of Irish Wolfhound heroes, but for the
special circumstance that an excellent home had been offered for
her in Devonshire. The Devonshire lady to whom Tara had, after long
deliberations, been sold by the Master, had been extremely keen
upon purchasing her, and, in addition to offering a splendid home,
had faithfully promised that in no circumstances whatever would she
think of parting with Tara unless to the Master himself. Here then
was an opportunity which the man had felt that he could not afford
to miss.

He had been very much concerned about other matters and other
troubles at the time, but when the actual morning of Tara's
departure had arrived, he had begun to feel very bad about it. The
household gathered round to bid good-bye to the beautiful hound,
and her Master himself took her to the station. When Tara was in
the guard's van she looked out through a barred window at her
friend on the station platform, and he said afterwards that the
situation exhausted every ounce of self-control he possessed. He
had an overpowering impulse, even when the train was moving, to
jump aboard and release old Tara.

"I would sooner face the Bankruptcy Court than have her mournful
old eyes turned upon me again with just that wonderingly
reproachful look," he said.

But glowing reports were received of Tara's happiness in her new
home, with its extensive grounds and generous management; and,
though Tara was never forgotten--one does not forget such a mother
of heroes, when one has bred her and nursed her through mortal
illness--her Master had ceased to grieve about her or to feel
self-reproachful about having parted with her.

Arrived in the great show building, he wandered up and down between
the benches, pausing now and again to speak to an old acquaintance,
human or canine, as the case might be. But this was the last day of
the show, and the majority of the exhibitors were away. The place
had a half-dismantled air about it. The Show was virtually over.
Presently the Master found himself in a kind of outbuilding, where
an