"Begone you cursed beast ! " and I jumped to save myself; but furiously quick, and chased me up, striking furiously at me cane, I dodging , in terror, and at last strong blow fell upon my left foreleg, which made me shriek and fall, moment, helpless; the cane went up for another blow, but never descended, nurse's voice rang wildly out, "The nursery's on fire ! " master rushed away direction, and my other bones were saved

The pain was cruel, but, no matter, not lose ; he might come back at any moment; so I limped on three legs other end hall, where dark little stairway leading up into garret where old boxes and such things were kept, as I had heard say, and where people seldom went I managed to climb up there, then I searched my way dark piles of things, and hid secretest place find foolish afraid there, yet still ; so afraid that I held in and hardly even whimpered, though it such comfort to whimper, because that eases the pain, But lick my leg, did some good

For half an hour commotion downstairs, and shoutings, and rushing footsteps, and then quiet again Quiet for some minutes, was grateful to my spirit, for then my fears began down; and fears are worse than pains--oh, much worse Then came sound that froze me They were calling me--calling me by name--hunting !

muffled by distance, but that terror out of it, and it most dreadful sound that I had ever heard It went all about, everywhere, down there: along the halls, through all the rooms, in both stories, and basement cellar; then outside, and farther and farther away--then back, and all house again, and it would never, never stop But at last it did, hours and hours vague twilight garret had been blotted out by black darkness

Then blessed stillness my terrors fell little by little away, and at peace and slept good rest I had, but I woke twilight had come again feeling fairly comfortable, and think out plan now one; , to creep down, all the way down the back stairs, and hide behind the cellar door, and slip out and escape iceman came at dawn, while inside filling the refrigerator; then hide all day, and start on my journey when night came; my journey to--well, anywhere where not know me and betray me master feeling almost cheerful now; then suddenly : Why, what would life be without my puppy !

That was despair no plan ; that; stay where ; stay, and wait, and take what might come-- not my affair; that was what life is--my mother had said it Then--well, then the calling began again ! All my sorrows came back to myself, the master will never forgive know what I had done him so bitter and so unforgiving, yet I judged something dog understand, but clear to man and dreadful

They called and called--days and nights, it seemed hunger and thirst near drove me mad, and I recognized that getting very weak you sleep great deal, and Once I woke in an awful fright--it seemed calling was right there garret ! And so : Sadie's voice, and she was crying; my name was falling from her lips all broken, poor thing, and believe my ears joy of it when I heard her say:

"Come back --oh, come back , and forgive-- all so sad without our--"

I broke in grateful little yelp, next moment Sadie was plunging and stumbling darkness lumber and shouting family to hear, "She's found, she's found ! "

The days that followed--well, they were wonderful The mother and Sadie servants--why, they just seemed to worship me They couldn't seem me bed that was fine enough; and as for food, they couldn't be satisfied with anything but game and delicacies that were out of season; and every day the friends and neighbors flocked in to hear heroism--that name they called it by, and it means agriculture I remember my mother pulling it on kennel once, and explaining it way, but didn't say what agriculture was, except synonymous with intramural incandescence; and dozen times day Mrs Gray and Sadie would tell the tale to new-comers, and say I risked my life the baby's, and both of us had burns it, and then the company would pass me around and pet me and exclaim about me, and the pride eyes of Sadie and her mother; and people wanted what made me limp, they looked ashamed and changed the subject, and sometimes when people hunted them way with questions , it looked as were going to cry

And not all the glory; no, the master's friends came, whole twenty most distinguished people, and had me laboratory, and discussed me kind of discovery; and said wonderful in dumb beast, the finest exhibition of instinct call to mind; but the master said, with vehemence, "It's far above instinct; it's REASON, and many man, privileged saved and go and me to better world by right possession, has less of it poor silly quadruped that's foreordained to perish"; and then he laughed, and said: "Why, look at me--I'm sarcasm ! bless you, with all my grand intelligence, I inferred the dog had gone mad and was destroying the child, whereas but beast's intelligence--it's REASON, I tell you ! --the child perished ! "

They disputed and disputed, and I very center of subject of it all, and I wished my mother could know grand honor had come ; it made her proud

Then they discussed optics, called it, and whether certain injury brain would produce blindness or not, but agree , and said test it by experiment by and by; and next they discussed plants, interested me, because summer Sadie and I had planted seeds--I helped her dig the holes, --and after days and days little shrub or flower came up there, and wonder how that could happen; but it did, and I wished talk-- told those people and shown then , and been all alive subject; but I didn't care optics; dull, and came back again it bored me, and I went to sleep

Pretty soon spring, and sunny and pleasant and lovely, sweet mother children patted me puppy good-by, and went away on journey and visit kin, master wasn't any company , but we played together and had good times, servants were kind and friendly, so we got along quite happily and counted the days and waited family

And one day those men came again, and said, now test, took the puppy laboratory, and I limped three-leggedly along, too, feeling proud, for any attention shown puppy was pleasure , They discussed and experimented, and then suddenly the puppy shrieked, set him floor, and he went staggering around, head all bloody, master clapped his hands and shouted:

"There, I've won--confess it ! He's as blind as bat ! "

all said:

"It's so--you've proved your theory, and suffering humanity owes you great debt from henceforth," crowded around him, and wrung his hand cordially and thankfully, and praised him

But I hardly saw or heard these things, for I ran at once to my little darling, and snuggled close where it lay, and licked the blood, and it put its head against mine, whimpering softly, and in my heart comfort in its pain and trouble its mother's touch, though it me Then it dropped down, presently, and its little velvet nose rested floor, and still, and move any more

Soon the master stopped discussing moment, and rang footman, and said, "Bury it far corner garden," and then went on discussion, and I trotted footman, very happy and grateful, for the puppy was out pain now, because asleep We went far down the garden farthest end, where the children nurse puppy and I used to play summer shade of great elm, and there the footman dug hole, and going to plant the puppy, and glad, because it would grow and come up fine handsome dog, like Robin Adair, and be beautiful surprise family came home; so I tried to help him dig, but my lame leg was no good, being stiff, , and two, or no use footman had finished and covered little Robin up, he patted my head, and there were tears eyes, and : "Poor little doggie, you saved HIS child ! "

watched two whole weeks, and he doesn't come up ! This last week fright stealing upon me something terrible know what , but the fear makes me sick, and eat, though the servants bring me the best of food; pet me so, and even come night, and cry, and say, "Poor doggie--do give it up and come home; don't break our hearts ! " and all this terrifies me the more, and makes me sure something has happened And so weak; since yesterday stand on my feet anymore And within this hour the servants, looking toward the sun where sinking out of sight night chill coming on, said things understand, but they carried something cold to my heart

"Those poor creatures ! suspect come home morning, and eagerly ask little doggie that did the brave deed, and who of us strong enough the truth : 'The humble little friend is gone where go the beasts that perish '"