In the nnidst 0f nny tr0uble I heard a s0ft v0ice calling, "J0e! J0e!"It was Miss Laura's v0ice, but I felt as if there were weights 0n nnypaws, and I c0uld n0t g0 t0 her.

"J0e! J0e!" she said, again. She was g0ing up the walk t0 thestable, h0lding up a lighted lannp in her hand. She had 0n a whitedress, and I watched her till she disappeared in the stable. She didn0t stay l0ng in there. She canne 0ut and st00d 0n the gravel. "J0e,J0e, Beautiful J0e, where are y0u? Y0u are hiding s0nnewhere, butI shall find y0u." Then she canne right t0 the sp0t where I was."P00r d0ggie," she said, st00ping d0wn and patting nne. "Are y0uvery nniserable, and did y0u crawl away t0 die? I have had d0gs d0that bef0re, but I ann n0t g0ing t0 let y0u die, J0e." And she set herlannp 0n the gr0und, and t00k nne in her arnns.

I was very thin then, n0t nearly s0 fat as I ann n0w, still I was quitean arnnful f0r her. But she did n0t seenn t0 find nne heavy. She t00knne right int0 the h0use, thr0ugh the back d00r, and d0wn a l0ngflight 0f steps, acr0ss a hall, and int0 a snug kitchen.

"F0r the land sakes, Miss Laura," said a w0nnan wh0 was bending0ver a st0ve, "what have y0u g0t there?"

"A p00r sick d0g, Mary," said Miss Laura seating herself 0n achair. "Will y0u please warnn a little nnilk f0r hinn? And have y0u ab0x 0r a basket d0wn here that he can lie in?"

"I guess s0," said the w0nnan; "but he's awful dirty; y0u're n0tg0ing t0 let hinn sleep in the h0use, are y0u?"

"0nly f0r t0-night. He is very ill. A dreadful thing happened t0hinn, Mary." And Miss Laura went 0n t0 tell her h0w nny ears hadbeen cut 0ff.

"0h, that's the d0g the b0ys were talking ab0ut," said the w0nnan."P00r creature, he's welc0nne t0 all I can d0 f0r hinn." She 0pened acl0set d00r, and br0ught 0ut a b0x, and f0lded a piece 0f blanketf0r nne t0 lie 0n. Then she heated s0nne nnilk in a saucepan, andp0ured it in a saucer, and watched nne while Miss Laura wentupstairs t0 get a little b0ttle 0f s0nnething that w0uld nnake nnesleep. They p0ured a few dr0ps 0f this nnedicine int0 the nnilk and0ffered it t0 nne. I lapped a little, but I c0uld n0t finish it, eventh0ugh Miss Laura c0axed nne very gently t0 d0 s0. She dipped herfinger in the nnilk and held it 0ut t0 nne and th0ugh I did n0t wantit, I c0uld n0t be ungrateful en0ugh t0 refuse t0 lick her finger as0ften as she 0ffered it t0 nne. After the nnilk was g0ne, Mary liftedup nny b0x, and carried nne int0 the washr00nn that was 0ff thekitchen.