f anger.

The disturbing sound drew Alice's attention, and she looked over to
where Prudence was standing; it was then she encountered the
unblinking stare of the hound's wicked eyes. The sight thrilled her
for a moment, nor could she repress a slight shudder. She nudged her
companion and drew his attention without speaking. Robb followed the
direction of her gaze, and a silence followed whilst he surveyed the
strange apparition.

He could only see the dog's head--the rest of the creature was hidden
behind the window curtain--and its enormous size suggested the great
body and powerful limbs which remained concealed. To Robb there was a
suggestion of hell about the cruel lustre of the relentless eyes.

At last he broke into a little nervous laugh.

"By Jove!" he said. "I thought for the moment I'd got 'em. Gee-whizz!
The brute looks like the devil himself. What is it? Whose?"

Without replying, Alice called to her friend.

"Let Neche come in, Prue," she said. "That is"--dubiously--"if you
think it's safe." Then she turned to Robb. "He's so savage that I'm
afraid of him. Still, with Prue here, I think he'll be all right; he's
devoted to her."

At the sound of the girl's voice Prudence turned back from the window
like one awakening from a dream. Her eyes still had a far-away look in
them, and though she had heard the voice it seemed doubtful as to
whether she had taken the meaning of the words. For a moment her eyes
rested on Alice's face, then they drooped to the dog at her side, but
Alice was forced to repeat her question before the other moved. Then,
in silence, she stepped back and summoned the dog to her with an
encouraging chirrup. Neche needed no second bidding. There was a
scramble and a scraping of sharp claws upon the woodwork, then the
animal stood in the room. And his attitude as he eyed the two seated
upon the sofa said as plainly as possible, "Well, which one is it to
be first?"

Robb felt uneasy. Alice was decidedly alarmed at the dog's truculent
appearance.

But the tension was relieved a moment later by the brute's own strange
behaviour. Suddenly, without the slightest warning, Neche plumped down
upon his hind-quarters. His pricked ears drooped, and his two fore
paws began to beat a sort of tattoo upon the floor. Then followed a
broken whine, tremulous and blandishing, and the great head moved from
side to side with that curious movement which only dogs use to express
their gladness. Then the s