"You'd better not squeeze quite so hard, miss, or he'll bust!" remarked
the waif.
Recovering herself, and dropping the dog somewhat hurriedly, she turned
to me with a flushed face and said--
"Excuse me, sir; this unexpected meeting with my dog--"
"_Your_ dog!" I involuntarily exclaimed, while a sense of unmerited
loss began to creep over me.
"Well, the dog was mine once, at all events--though I doubt not it is
rightfully yours now," said the young lady, with a smile that at once
disarmed me. "It was stolen from me a few months after I had bought it
from this boy, who seems strangely altered since then. I'm glad,
however, to see that the short time I had the dog was sufficient to
prevent its forgetting me. But perhaps," she added, in a sad tone, "it
would have been better if it _had_ forgotten me."
My mind was made up.
"No, madam," said I, with decision; "it is well that the dog has not
forgotten you. I would have been surprised, indeed, if it had. It is
yours. I could not think of robbing you of it. I--I--am going to visit
a sick woman and cannot delay; forgive me if I ask permission to leave
the dog with you until I return in the afternoon to hand it formally
over and bid it farewell."
This was said half in jest yet I felt very much in earnest, for the
thought of parting from my doggie, even to such a fair mistress, cost me
no small amount of pain--much to my surprise, for I had not imagined it
possible that I could have formed so strong an attachment to a dumb
animal in so short a time. But, you see, being a bachelor of an
unsocial spirit, my doggie and I had been thrown much together in the
evenings, and had made the most of our time.
The young lady half laughed, and hesitatingly thanked me as she went
into the house, followed by Dumps, _alias_ Punch, _alias_ Pompey, who
never so much as cast one parting glance on me as I turned to leave. A
shout caused me to turn again and look back. I beheld an infant rolling
down the drawing-room stairs like a small Alpine boulder. A little girl
was vainly attempting to arrest the infant, and three boys, of various
sizes, came bounding towards the young lady with shouts of welcome. In
the midst of the din my doggie uttered a cry of pain, the Babel of
children's voices was hushed by a bass growl, and the street door closed
with a bang!
"Yell, that _is_ a rum go!" exclaimed my little companion, as we walked
slowly away. "Don't it seem to you, now, as if it wor all a dream?"
"It does, indeed," I replied, half inclined to laugh, yet with a feeling
of sadness at my heart, for I knew that my doggie and I were parted for
ever! Even if the young lady should insist on my keeping the dog, I
felt that I could not agree to do so. No! I had committed myself, and
the thing was done; for it was clear that, with the mutual affection
existing between the lady and the dog, they would not willingly consent
to be parted--it would be cruelty even to suggest a separation.
"Pshaw!" thought I, "why should the loss of a miserable dog--a mere mass
of shapeless hair--affect me so much? Pooh! I will brush the subject
away."
So I brushed it away, but back it came again in spite of all my
brushing, and insisted on remaining to trouble me.
Short though our friendship had been, it had, I found, become very warm
and strong. I recalled a good many pleasant evenings when, seated alone
in my room with a favourite author, I had read and tickled Dumps under
the chin and behind the ears to such an extent that I had thoroughly
gained his heart; and as "love begets love," I had been drawn insensibly
yet powerfully towards him. In short, Dumps and I understood each
other.
While I was meditating on these things my companion, who had walked
along in silence, suddenly said--
"You needn't take on so, sir, about Punch."
"How d'you know I'm taking on so?"
"'Cause you look so awful solemncholy. An' there's no occasion to do
so. You can get the critter back again."
"I fear not Slidder, for I have already given it to the young lady, and
you have seen how fond she is of it; and the dog evidently likes her
better than it likes me."
"Yell, I ain't surprised at _that_. It on'y proves it to be a dog of
good taste; but you can get it back for all that."
"How so?" I asked, much amused by the decision and self-sufficiency of
the boy's manner.
"Vy, you've on'y got to go and marry the young lady, w'en, of course,
all her property becomes yours, Punch included, don't you see?"
"True, Slidder; it had not occurred to me in that light," said I,
laughing heartily, as much at the cool and quiet insolence of the waif's
manner as at his suggestion. "But then, you see, there are difficulties
in the way. Young ladies who dwell in fine mansions are not fond of
marrying penniless doctors."
"Pooh!" replied the urchin; "that 'as nuffin' to do with it. You've
on'y got to set up in a 'ouse close alongside, with a big gold mortar
over the door an' a one-'oss broom, an' you'll 'ave 'er in six months--
or eight if she's got contrairy parents. Then you'll want a tiger, of
course, to 'old the 'oss; an' I knows a smart young feller whose name
begins with a S, as would just suit. So, you see, you've nothing to do
but to go in an win."
The precocious waif looked up in my face with such an expression of
satisfaction as he finished this audacious speech, that I could not help
gazing at him in blank amazement. What I should have replied I know
not, for we arrived just then at the abode of old Mrs Willis.
The poor old lady was suffering from a severe attack of influenza,
which, coupled with age and the depression caused by her heavy sorrow,
had reduced her physical powers in an alarming degree. It was obvious
that she urgently required good food and careful nursing. I never
before felt so keenly my lack of money. My means barely sufficed to
keep myself, educational expenses being heavy. I was a shy man, too,
and had never made friends--at least among the rich--to whom I could
apply on occasions like this.
"Dear granny," I said, "you would get along nicely if you would consent
to go to a hospital."
"Never!" said the old lady, in a tone of decision that surprised me.
"I assure you, granny, that you would be much better cared for and fed
there than you can be here, and it would not be necessary to give up
your room. I would look after it until you are better."
Still the old lady shook her head, which was shaking badly enough from
age as it was.
Going to the corner cupboard, in which Mrs Willis kept her little store
of food and physic, I stood there pondering what I should do.
"Please, sir," said Slidder, sidling up to me, "if you wants
mutton-chops, or steaks, or port wine, or anythink o' that sort, just
say the word and I'll get 'em."
"You, boy--how?"
"Vy, ain't the shops full of 'em? I'd go an help myself, spite of all
the bobbies that valks in blue."
"Oh, Slidder," said I, really grieved, for I saw by his earnest face
that he meant it, "would you go and steal after all I have said to you
about that sin?"
"Vell, sir, I wouldn't prig for myself--indeed I wouldn't--but I'd do it
to make the old 'ooman better."
"That would not change stealing into a virtue. No, my boy, we must try
to hit on some other way of providing for her wants."
"The Lord will provide," said Mrs Willis, from the bed.
She had overheard us. I hastened to her side.
"Yes, granny, He _will_ provide. Meanwhile He has given me enough money
to spare a little for your immediate wants. I will send some things,
which your kind neighbour, Mrs Jones, will cook for you. I'll give her
directions as I pass her door. Slidder will go home with me and fetch
you the medicines you require. Now, try to sleep till Mrs Jones comes
with the food. You must not speak to me. It will make you worse."
"I only want to ask, John, have you any--any news about--"
"No, not yet, granny; but don't be cast down. If you can trust God for
food, surely you can trust Him for protection, not only to yourself, but
to Edie. Remember the words, `Commit thy way unto the Lord, and He will
bring it to pass.'"
"Thank you, John," replied the old woman, as she sank back on her pillow
with a little sigh.
After leaving Mrs Willis I was detained so long with some of my
patients that it was late before I could turn my steps westward. The
night was very cold, with a keen December wind blowing, and heavy black
clouds driving across the dark sky. It was after midnight as I drew
near the neighbourhood of the house in which I had left Dumps so
hurriedly that morning. In my haste I had neglected to ask the name of
the young lady with whom I had left him, or to note the number of the
house; but I recollected its position, and resolved to go round by it
for the purpose of ascertaining the name on the door.