Mary sprang from her bed and
hurried down. There, on the kitchen-floor, in front of the yet
fireless grate, lay the body of Letty Lovel. A hideous dog was
sitting on his haunches at her head. The moment she entered,
again the animal stretched out a long, bony neck, and sent forth
a howl that rang penetrative through the house. It sounded in
Mary's ears like the cry of the whole animal creation over the
absence of their Maker. They raised her and carried her to Mary's
room. There they laid her in the still warm bed, and proceeded to
use all possible means for the restoration of heat and the
renewal of circulation.
Here I am sorry to have to mention that Beenie, returning,
unsuccessful, from their first efforts, to the kitchen, to get
hot water, and finding the dog sitting there motionless, with his
face turned toward the door by which they had carried Letty out,
peevish with disappointment and dread, drove him from the
kitchen, and from the court, into the street where that same day
he was seen wildly running with a pan at his tail, and the next
was found lying dead in a bit of waste ground among stones and
shards. God rest all such!
But, as far as Letty was concerned, happily Beenie was not an old
woman for nothing. With a woman's sympathy, Mary hesitated to run
for the doctor: who could tell what might be involved in so
strange an event? If they could but bring her to, first, and
learn something to guide them! She pushed delay to the very verge
of danger.
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