opped, and as his voice had grown
somewhat more cheerful, the dog vouchsafed to look at him timidly.
Seeing encouragement, he wagged his tail a few times. "Come, sir,"
said Leon, "I am talking to you. Don't you hear? Answer my question.
Speak, sir! Speak!" "Whow! Whow! Whow-Whow!" answered Lossy, barking
lustily. But Leon held up his finger in warning, and he ceased. "What
do you mean by all that noise?" said Leon. "Don't you understand that
this is a confidential conversation? Now, sir! Answer me again, but
softly! softly!"

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" answered Lossy, in tones as near a whisper as can
be compassed by a dog.

"Very well, sir!" said Leon. "That's better. Much better. We don't
want to attract a crowd, so the less noise we make the better for us."

But, alas! The boy's warning came too late. Miss Matilda Grath had
seen Leon go towards the barn, and when she heard the dog's loud
barking, a sudden idea had come to her, which thrilled her cruel heart
with anticipation of pleasure. So much so indeed, that she at once
left the vicinity of the auctioneer, where her interests were, and
hurried out to the barn, surprising Leon by her unwelcome presence.

"What are you doin' out here all by yourself?" she asked.

"I am not doing anything, Miss Grath!" replied Leon mildly, hoping to
mollify her. A vain hope!

"Miss Grath!" she repeated sneeringly. "Don't you Miss Grath me. I
an't to be molly-coddled by the likes o' you. I wanter know what
you're doin' out here, when everybody's to the auction. You an't up to
no good, I'll warrant. Now up an' tell me! An' no lies, or it will be
the worst for you."

"I don't know what you're aiming at. I came out here to be alone, that
is all!"

"Oh! You wanted to be alone, did you? Well, that's the right way for
you to feel, anyway. The company of decent folks an't for the likes o'
you." She paused, expecting an angry retort, but failing to obtain the
desired excuse for proceeding in the diabolical design which she was
bent upon executing, she continued in a worse temper. "You needn't
think you kin fool me with your smooth talkin'. I know you, and I know
what you're up to!"

"Well, if you know, why did you ask me?" said Leon, stung into
something like anger.

"I don't want none o' your impudence. I'll tell you mighty quick what
you're up to. You're plannin' to steal that dog, that's what you're
after!"

"Steal Lossy! Why how could I do that? He is mine!" Leon did not yet
full