, then,' he said; 'I've
done my best, and mustn't shirk the consequence.'

He took hold of Betty's hand, and led her to the stables; twice he
cleared his throat, as if about to speak, and then at the door, keeping
one hand on the latch, he put his other one under Betty's little chin
and raised her face.

'You'll be a brave, good little maid, won't you?' he said, 'and you'll
bear up, for 'tis better for the little dog than to live in suffering.'

He opened the door, and Betty, not in the slightest understanding his
words, pushed her way breathlessly in.

There in his basket, cold and stiff, lay poor little Prince! For one
minute Betty thought he was asleep, and then the awful truth dawned
upon her. With her blue eyes dilating with horror, she turned and
faced the old farmer, and every vestige of colour left her cheeks.

'He's not dead!' she cried. 'Wake him up, Mr. Giles; he shan't be
dead!'

'My little maid, I'm dreadful sorry for you; but 'tis better so; and
his neck were near bitten through; he couldn't have lived long in any
case.'

Betty flung herself on the floor with such a sharp wail of despair that
Farmer Giles felt a lump rising in his throat He knew there could be
no comfort yet for the broken-hearted child; that she must go through
her trouble alone--words at such a time were useless; and after
watching her for some minutes, he slipped away to fetch nurse to bring
her in.

And Betty lay with her arms round Prince's basket, sobbing her very
heart out, and feeling as if light and joy and gladness had gone out of
her life for ever! When nurse came in a little later, and put a gentle
hand on the little crouching figure, Betty turned round, furious in her
grief.

'Go away, I shan't leave Prince; I wish I could die! Oh, nurse,
nurse!' and a fresh burst of sobs shook her; 'tell me he isn't dead;
tell me he isn't!'

Nurse tried in vain to pacify her; Betty was too over-wrought to
listen. One thing she stedfastly refused to do, and that was to leave
her dog, and nurse finally had to take her up in her arms by force, and
carry her, shrieking and struggling, to the house. Poor little Betty
did not prove herself a heroine; but nurse made allowance for her, and
was unusually patient and tender.

'It's like a bit of her life gone,' she confided to Mrs. Giles. 'I
always think it a pity when children get so wrapped up with their pets,
but Miss Betty never does anything by halves.'

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