ds while the little ones starved to death, to
show their approval, and patted their hands gloved in the skins of
kids, sewed in cloth soon after their birth so they couldn't grow a
fleece, and tortured all their short lives, and went home to eat
pate-de-foie gras, and broil live lobsters, thanking God they were not
as the rest of men, if only they let out their check-reins a hole or
so. It was horrible,--the cruelties men practised to gratify appetite,
and that women were guilty of for vanity. I suppose I am a monomaniac
on the subject, but we never seemed far removed from barbarians, when
we went clothed in the skins of wild animals, and decorated with their
heads and tails and feathers, like so many Sioux chiefs. The varnish
of civilization isn't dry on us yet. Why, if a ship should come here
now, do you know what they would do first, unless they happened to be
East Indians? They would say they wanted some fresh meat, and offer to
buy Lily; she is the fattest of the cows. If we wouldn't sell her,
they would probably take her anyway."

"Kill Lily," cried Adam, angrily. "They'd have me to kill first;
nothing on this place is going to be slaughtered while I can protect
it." He went on more slowly, a little ashamed of his heat, "I feel a
sense of kinship with all these creatures that would make it
impossible to kill them. It's like the woman whose Newfoundland died,
and a friend asked if she was going to have him stuffed. 'Stuffed!'
she said; 'I'd as soon think of stuffing my husband!'"

Robin laughed, and leaning over tweaked Lassie's ear. "If we are to be
stuffed, we prefer to have it an ante-mortem performance, don't we,
little dog?"

The sun dropped behind the tall peaks, but its dying light still
covered sea and shore. They rose as if for the benediction, and looked
out at the waters before them. Then they looked at each other and grew
white to the lips, and Robin knelt down and flinging her arms around
Lassie sobbed and laughed. Adam never took his eyes from the coming
ship.

XIII

Every ship brings a word;
Well for those who have no fear,
Looking seaward well assured
That the word the vessel brings
Is the word they wish to hear.

EMERSON.

The ship bore steadily toward them, but night was coming on so rapidly
that her lines were obscured. They could not even tell whether it was
a sailing vessel or propelled by steam.

"There's one thing certain," said Adam, excitedly: