34 "LOW LIFE."

bacon. Come and have your supper with me, lass, and I'll
kiss you again as soon as I have finished."
 Mr. and Mrs. Miles had no thought save of disposing of
Prince to the landlord of the Hare and Hounds the first
thing next morning, though they gave him, as a matter of
course also, the scraps of their supper and leave to sleep at
their hearth.
 But the new day brought new ideas. Little Freddy-named
proudly for Nanse's little master in the last situation she had
filled-fell sick in the night, and was still ill and cross in the
morning when Nanse rose to light the fire and prepare the
breakfast. Mr. Miles, who kept the child while the mother
was thus engaged, thought to divert the boy, and partly
succeeded, by drawing his attention to the strange bow-wow
which daddy had brought home while Freddy was asleep last
night.
 You had better leave the brute all the morning, Miles,
since Freddy is so taken with him," suggested the anxious
mother. Pretty dear! he has left off crying to watch the
dog. I suppose the creature will be quiet enough if nobody
meddles with him, and I shall take care that neither Freddy
nor Louie teases him. You will be in and out, and you can
take the dog away at dinner-time quite as well as now.
Perhaps the child will be better then."
 When the dinner hour came the child was not better, but
worse, lying listlessly with flushed face and heavy eyes, which,
however, still lightened a little as they followed the entrancing
apparition of the dog. Mr. and Mrs. Miles could not bear to
remove the solace of their sick child, and hour by hour and
day by day the departure of Prince was deferred.
 nr- "L