Another Theft of the Dove Chain. ¥33

“ That night a large rat, with bright eyes like two beads, crept
into the chamber where the broker slept. He had the chain
in a stout oak box beneath the bed, and his door was barred,
as he feared robbers. He could not keep out a rat, especially
when that rat was Madam Skimp.

“She gnawed up a quantity of bank-notes to a soft pulp,
which she had adroitly slipped from between the leaves of a
pocket-book. With this she rolled two little balls, and popped
them into the sleeper’s ears, so that he could hear nothing.
Then she attacked the box under the bed; gnaw, gnaw, went
her sharp teeth until a tiny hole was made, through which she
dragged the dove chain, and away she went with it.

“«That was well done, said Skimp, changing into a hawk.

“We must now return to Aunt Katrine’s house. The chil-
dren all grew up. Sophia, a blooming maiden of eighteen, mar-
ried a wealthy mill-owner, and went away. |

“The dove child was tall and fair in appearance. She had
long since outgrown the star-spangled robe and tiny shoes she
first wore. The dove mate had never returned to visit her.

“Otto did not miss the chain from the hiding-place, for soon
after Aunt Katrine had lost it the cottage caught fire from a
smoking chimney, and the whole building was destroyed. Otto
carried out the furniture, but he supposed the chain must have
been lost in the flames. Aunt Katrine still kept silent, but she
was very kind to the dove child, trying to repair the injury she
had done her.

“« After all, she is better off here in a Christian home,’ thought
poor Aunt Katrine, and then she looked at the spangled dress,

wondering where the dove maiden really had lived.