The storm seemed to last interminably, until at last they dozed between
the thunderclaps, and then very swiftly it fell and ceased. And as the
last patter of the rain died away they heard an unfamiliar sound.

"What is that?" cried Elizabeth.

It came again. It was the barking of dogs. It drove down the desert lane
and passed; and through the window, whitening the wall before them and
throwing upon it the shadow of the window-frame and of a tree in black
silhouette, shone the light of the waxing moon....

Just as the pale dawn was drawing the things about them into sight, the
fitful barking of dogs came near again, and stopped. They listened.
After a pause they heard the quick pattering of feet seeking round the
house, and short, half-smothered barks. Then again everything was still.

"Ssh!" whispered Elizabeth, and pointed to the door of their room.

Denton went half-way towards the door, and stood listening. He came back
with a face of affected unconcern. "They must be the sheep-dogs of the
Food Company," he said. "They will do us no harm."

He sat down again beside her. "What a night it has been!" he said, to
hide how keenly he was listening.

"I don't like dogs," answered Elizabeth, after a long silence.

"Dogs never hurt any one," said Denton. "In the old days--in the
nineteenth century--everybody had a dog."

"There was a romance I heard once. A dog killed a man."

"Not this sort of dog," said Denton confidently. "Some of those
romances--are exaggerated."

Suddenly a half bark and a pattering up the staircase; the sound of
panting. Denton sprang to his feet and drew the sword out of the damp
straw upon which they had been lying. Then in the doorway appeared a
gaunt sheep-dog, and halted there. Behind it stared another. For an
instant man and brute faced each other, hesitating.

Then Denton, being ignorant of dogs, made a sharp step forward. "Go
away," he said, with a clumsy motion of his sword.

The dog started and growled. Denton stopped sharply. "Good dog!" he
said.

The growling jerked into a bark.

"Good dog!" said Denton. The second dog growled and barked. A third out
of sight down the staircase took up the barking also. Outside others
gave tongue--a large number it seemed to Denton.

"This is annoying," said Denton, without taking his eye off the brutes
before him. "Of course the shepherds won't come out of the city for
hours yet. Naturally these dogs don't quite make us out."

"I can't