as the small beast scuttled
between the legs of a farmer's horse, which gave him a moment's
respite from his tormentors.

An instant later they were clamoring again for his unhappy little
life. Suddenly he ran headlong into a tree, striking his shaggy head
with terrific force. Then he curled up in a limp little heap, just as
Jinnie reached him.

Before Maudlin Bates, the leader of the crowd, arrived, the girl had
picked up the insensible dog and thrust him under her jacket.

"He's dead, I guess," she said, looking up into the boy's face, "I'll
take him to the cobbler's shop and bury him.... He isn't any good when
he's dead."

Maudlin Bates grinned from ear to ear, put his hands behind his back,
and allowed his eyes to rove over the girl's straight young figure.

"Billy Maybee was tryin' to tie a tin can to his tail," he explained,
stuttering, "and the cur snapped at him. We was goin' to hit his head
against the wall."

"He's dead now," assured Jinnie once more. "It isn't any use to smash
dead dogs."

This reasoning being unanswerable, Maudlin turned grumblingly away.

Jinnie's heart beat loudly with living hope. Perhaps the little dog
wasn't dead. Oh, how she hoped he'd live! She stopped half way home,
and pushed aside her jacket and peeped down at him. He was still quite
limp, and the girl hurried on. She did not even wait to buy the meat
nor the bread Peg had asked her to bring in.

As she hurried across the tracks, she saw Grandoken sitting in the
window.

He saluted her with one hand, but as she was using both of hers to
hold the dog, she only smiled in return, with a bright nod of her
head.

Once in the shop, she looked about cautiously.

"I've got something, Lafe," she whispered, "something you'll like."

When she displayed the hurt dog, Lafe put out his hand.

"Is the little critter dead?" he asked solemnly.

"Oh, I hope not!" replied Jinnie, and excitedly explained the
episode.

"Lafe took the foundling in his hands, turning the limp body over and
over.

"Jinnie, go ask Peg to bring some hot water in a pan," he said. "We'll
give the little feller a chanct to live."

Peg came in with a basin of water, stared at the wide-eyed girl and
her smiling husband, then down upon the dog.

"Well, for Lord's sake, where'd you get that little beast?" she
demanded. "'Tain't livin', is it? Might as well throw it in the
garbage pail."

Nevertheless, she put down the basin as she spoke, and took the p