"Here, General, here," Gordon commanded, and
the dog followed him seriously into the room. "Pat
him, Lettice, so's he'll get to know you," he urged.

"I don't think I want to," she began; but, at her
husband's obvious impatience, she experimented
doubtfully, "Here, puppy."

"Can't you call him by his name?" he interrupted.
"How ever'll he come to know it?"

"I don't want to call him at all," she protested,
a little wildly. "I don't like him tonight; perhaps
tomorrow I will feel different."

"Well, do or don't, that dog's a part of the house,
and I don't want to hear Mrs. Caley say this or that
about it, neither."

"Mrs. Caley isn't as bad as you make her out;
it's me she's thinking about most of the time. I tell
her men are not like women, they never think about
the little things we do. Father was like that...
you are too. That's all the men I have known."
Her voice trailed off into an abrupt silence, she sat
staring into the room with the needlework forgotten
in her hand.

Gordon turned to the dog, playing with him, pulling
his ears. General Jackson, in remonstrance,
softly bit Gordon's hand. "That's a dandy dog.
Making yourself right at home, hey! Biting right
back, are you! Let me feel your teeth, phew--"

"Gordon," Lettice exclaimed suddenly in a

[[165]]

p164 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p165w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p166

v?