San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-05-15

homes was rather difficult. That one
yonder is a mere geranium pot said l,
noddiug with a gesture toward a tiny
red bow window filled with those great
red and green plants.
| Of course there was "dressmalling" ON
the modest placard on the door, and
| equally of course there was the dress
makers small, pale face at the window,
| where the fOrid, round punches of bios
SONS seemed to have drained all life and
! color from her.
1T is a case of Rappaccini's daughter
reversed" | said. "Instead of giving
her their bloom the flowers have taken
all hers to themselves. never see a big
coarse hedgerow like that one without
knowing there is fading lily of wom-
| an behind it stitching and stitching her
heart out. Cannot you make an excuse,
| Dr.. Hugh? Mistake the house or some-
ching, and let us knock and see if my
| faded lily won't come out"
But just then the door opened; the
dressmaker was letting out customer.
| Who or what that was never needed,
! for from where we stood over the way
| my dog had dashed across, up the low
steps and was fawning ON the little
woman i'll transport of JOY.
She did not stOOp to meet those eager
caresses; those sharp little canine cries
| of delighted recognition had no response.
Only as we came in she made a hurried,
cropping movement for the handle of the
door as if she would have shut it in cur
faces. Hugh was too quick for her. He
stepped in across the threshold, where
she stood leaning pale and quivenng
against the wall.
I'VE owe it to ourselves" he said, "tO
make some explanation. Of course the
dog is yours
She made hasty motion of disclaimer,
but Hugh went on:
"Of course the dog is yours; we have
had him so long in our keeping because
he was found one night last winter, and
this lady kindly let him come indoors
with her out of the bitter weather. But
we have no idea of keeping the little
fellow from you-unless, indeed, you
would care to part with him
This last tentatively, for it had not es-
capped Hugh any more than it had me
that as between dog and mistress the
affection was certainly all on one side.
The little woman-girl she was rather
had retreated, sinking down on the steep
box stairs that almost filled up the tiny
entry. The dog did not feel himself re-
pulsed as we did, but fell, dog fashion,
to kissing the worn hands with which
she covered her face. 1t was in that
same instant that we heard a child's cry.
She let her hands fall together, the we'd
ding ring flashing out on the Worn finger,
and then, for the first time noticing me,
with a swift sign she led the way into
the back room.
The baby was just waking i'll his era
die. She turned her white face round on
us in the doorway as she dropped down
on her knees beside him. The dog went
shifting about the cradle, round and
round, as if he could not understand,
then stood irresOlute, his brown eyes
flashing inquiry from the woman to III"
For the child's sake" she said. For
the child's sake
She caught her breath in a frightened,
gasping way that brought the doctor in
Hugh to the fore.
STEADY" he said gently. 1--WE are not
here to hurt YOU, but to see what can be
done for YOU"
She pointed to the dog. "Only take
Dash away. Leave us two alone
At the sound of his name the dog
glanced round at her, but at her vehe-
ment rpDnllant gesture he cropt nearer
to me, his tail between his legs.
"Poor DASH Nv moor moor Artful