e into
dislike after their sons had told them that it was because Juno had
bitten her that the boys of the school, with Alec for a leader, had
served her as they had. But it was productive of no disadvantage to
her; for it could not take any active form because of the money-bond
between them, while its negative operation gave rise chiefly to
neglect, and so left her more at liberty, to enjoy herself as she could
after her own fashion.

For the rest of Juno's existence, the moment she caught sight of a boy
she fled as fast as her four bow-legs would carry her, not daring even
to let her tail stick out behind her, lest it should afford a handle
against her.

CHAPTER XIX.

When Annie heard that Alec had been bitten she was miserable. She knew
his bite must be worse than hers, or he would not be kept at home.
Might she not venture to go and see him again? The modesty of a
maidenly child made her fear to intrude; but she could not constrain
her feet from following the path to his house. And as it was very dusk,
what harm could there be in going just inside the gate, and on to the
green? Through the parlour windows she saw the fire burning bright, and
a shadow moving across the walls and the ceiling; but she could not
make up her mind to knock at the door, for she was afraid of Mrs
Forbes, notwithstanding her kindness. So she wandered on--for here
there was no dog--wondering what that curious long mound of snow, with
the round heap at the end, by the flag-staff, could be? What could Alec
have made it for? Examining it closely all along, she came to the end
of it next the house, and looking round, saw that it was hollow.
Without a moment's thought, for she had no fear of Alec, she entered.
The passage was dark, but she groped her way, on and on, till she came
to the cell at the end. Here a faint ghostly light glimmered; for Alec
had cleared a small funnel upwards through the roof, almost to the
outside, so that a thin light filtered through a film of snow. This
light being reflected from the white surface of the cave, showed it all
throbbing about her with a faint bluish white, ever and anon whelmed in
the darkness and again glimmering out through its folds. She seated
herself on a ledge of snow that ran all round the foundation. It was
not so cold here as in the outer air, where a light frosty wind was
blowing across the world of snow. And she had not sat long, before,
according to her custom when left to hers