ld and, preceding her to the
house, gave a sort of major-domo effect to her progress.

Entering the stable, they found a lantern lighting the gloom, and
Diogenes in a state of agitation. His solitude had been invaded by an
Irish setter--a lovely auburn-coated creature with melting eyes, who,
held by a leash, lay at length on Diogenes' straw with Diogenes' blanket
keeping off the cold.

The old drake from some remote fastness flung his protest to the four
winds!

"He's a new one." Peggy patted the dog, who rose to welcome them. "He
ought to be in the kennels. Somebody didn't know."

Somebody probably had not known, but had learned. For now the door
opened, and a young man came in. He was a big young man with fair hair,
and he had arrived on the train.

"I beg your pardon," he said, as he saw them, "but they told me I had put
my dog in the wrong place."

Peggy was important. "He belongs at the kennels. He's in Diogenes'
corner."

"Diogenes?"

The old drake, reassured by the sound of voices, showed himself for a
moment in the track of the lantern light.

"There he is," Peggy said, excitedly; "he lives in here by himself."

Anne had not spoken, but as she lifted the lantern from its nail and held
it high, Richard Brooks was aware that this was the same girl whom he had
glimpsed from the train. He had noted then her slenderness of outline,
the grace and freedom of her pose; at closer range he saw her delicate
smallness; the bloom on her cheek; the dusky softness of her hair; the
length of her lashes; the sapphire deeps of her eyes. Yet it was not
these charms which arrested his attention; it was, rather, a certain
swift thought of her as superior to her surroundings.

"Then it is Diogenes whose pardon I must beg," he said, his eyes
twinkling as the old drake took refuge behind Anne's skirts. "Toby, come
out of that. It's you for a cold kennel."

"It's not cold in the kennels," Peggy protested; "it is nice and warm,
and the food is fixed by Eric Brand."

"And where can I find Eric Brand?"

"He isn't here." It was Anne who answered him. "He is away for the New
Year. Peggy and I have been looking after the dogs."

She did not tell him that she had done it because she liked dogs, and not
because it was a part of her day's work. And he did not know that she
taught school. Hence, as he walked beside her toward the kennels, with
Peggy dancing on ahead with Toby, and with Diogenes left behind in full
possession,