"SUSPENSE." 75
could not-now that her son was a big lad-do more than
order the dog to be tied up, while she waited word from
Harry in answer to her inquiry as to how his protege was to
be disposed of. It happened to be the end of the week, when
Harry frequently returned home from his public school to
remain over the Sunday. And it had been noticed before that
the dog was cognizant of these stated visits, and looked eagerly
out for the arrival of her master.
 In the season allowed to Flora for cooling down and con-
trition, while she had the knowledge forced upon her that she
could no longer rush to greet Harry with an open face and a
clear conscience, but must be sought out by the lad, smarting
under a fellow-feeling with her disgrace, Flora became so over-
powered by the consequences of her previous self-indulgence
of restless grief and longing, that she cast to the winds the
silent endurance which had been from her youth a marked
feature in the big, brave dog's character. She refused to eat
and sleep, and expressed her poignant regret and repentance,
in a mode most unlike herself, by filling the air with her
howls and moans.
 At the end of two days and nights Flora had howled
herself perfectly hoarse, until Mrs. Bloomfield's-not to say the
curate's-ears and hearts ached with the dog's husky distress.
In sheer self-defence they sent instructions to loose her, but
to detain her a prisoner on parole, banished from their
presence.
 But Flora did not understand anything about parole, or
reservations in pardon. With a succession of joyous bounds
at her release, she spurned all efforts to detain her, and never
stopped till she had pushed her way, worn and dishevelled as