e snuffing
zealously for some moments, and then finding herself clearly at fault,
ran back and whimpered her disappointment on her mistress' lap.

"You have lost trace and scent of Lyon! Oh, Nelly! Nelly! what shall we
do? Venture back boldly to Black Hall? Run right in the teeth of the law
officers, and be snapped up by them?" sighed Sybil.

Nelly understood "a horror in the words, if not the words," and howled
dismally.

Just at that moment a halting step was heard approaching, and a sad
voice sighing:

"I sorter can't give her up! No, I can't! Ef she did bite me, it wa'n't
outen malice to me, but outen dewotion to the mistess--on'y to make me
drap her down, so she could go back to dis vault and wait for her
mistess, which I do expect she have starved to death by dis time! But
I'll see. Nelly. Nelly!"

Sybil's heart leaped with joy at recognizing the voice of her faithful
servant Joe. And Nelly jumped forward with a cry of delight to meet him.

"So you is here yet in dis supernumerary speer. Thank my Marster in
Heaven for dat!" exclaimed Joe, stooping painfully, while he leaned upon
his crutch, to lift the little dog to his bosom. "But who dat young
o'man, Nelly?" continued Joe, whose eyesight was none of the best,
pausing abruptly and staring at Sybil, who was completely disguised by
the large India shawl and the red merino gown, both of which were
entirely opposite to her usual style of dress.

Joe hobbled towards the supposed stranger cautiously.

"Don't you know me, dear old Joe?" inquired Sybil, dropping the shawl
from her head and rising to her feet.

"_Ah-h-h-ah!_" yelled Joe in a prolonged howl of horror at what he took
to be a ghost!

And then, as he could not run away, he dropped dog and crutch, fell flat
upon his face and roared for mercy.

Sybil and her little dog both tried to soothe and reassure him--Sybil by
repeating to him over and over again that she was alive and well, and
that there was nothing whatever to fear at that moment; and little
Nelly, by running around him and trying to poke her nose under his face
to find a place to kiss or to lick.

But Joe for a time was perfectly inaccessible to reason; and Sybil, in
discouragement, left him to recover himself alone, while she went and
sat down at some distance to wait the issue of the event.

After a little while Joe slowly lifted up his head, and cautiously
glanced around, whispering:

"Is she gone?"

"No," answered Sybil, sharpl