"I am so sorry for Tray's rudeness
in going into your shop without being invited; but I do think he knew
you again, I am almost sure of it," she said eagerly, as if the
assurance were sufficient propitiation for any trifling lack of ceremony
where a reasonable human being was concerned.

"It might have been better if I had known a little more of him," said
Tom musingly, biting his moustache, as he took leave of the three.

Tray meandered down the street, followed hurriedly by his mistress and
Dora. Tom looked after them, and speculated into how many more scrapes
the brute would get the girls, wondered too if one of them would think
she had him to thank for the infliction, and that it was an odd instance
of the friendship which he had pressed her to give him in lieu of a
warmer feeling. That friendship was not progressing very rapidly, though
the world might consider the Millars more in need of friends than when
he had begged to make one of the number. But Tom Robinson knew better.
These girls were enough for themselves in any emergency. They would
never fall back on friends or depend upon them. Even Dora, who had
stayed at home with May, would suffer in silence and bear anything with
and for her family, before she would complain or ask help.

Tray's errant fancy finally took him down a lane leading to the Dewes
and to a sheltered walk between rows of yellowing elms by the side of
the river. The girls were at last able to enjoy themselves. They
sauntered along, talking at their ease, watching the bars of sunlight on
the water, and the crowds of flies in the golden mist which the approach
of sunset was drawing down over everything, and listening to a robin
singing on a bough, when their misadventures for one day culminated and
their worst apprehensions were fulfilled. A mongrel collie advancing in
the opposite direction, with no better qualified guardian than a young
servant girl, who had also a perambulator containing a couple of small
children to look after, aroused the warlike spirit of Tray. He growled
defiance and bristled in every hair, while Dora caught nervously at his
elegant morocco collar, which burst asunder in her grasp, and May
shrieked agitated soothing endearments to no purpose. What unmagnanimous
cur could resist such a challenge? In another instant the inequal combat
was raging furiously. The two dogs first stood on their hind legs,
grappled together, and glared at each other for a second, like two
pu