76 "SUSPENSE."
she was with unrest, hunger, and the constant agitation of
eight-and-forty hours, into her offended judge's august pre-
sence, leaping upon her and the curate-up to their very
shoulders and heads-in her fond gladness, licking the
hem of Mrs. Bloomfield's garment, falling grovelling at her
feet, whining in a very passion of gratitude and delight.
 What was to be done ? It was not in hearts which were
not steel to resist such unbounded dependence on their regard
and their goodness. Mrs. Bloomfield professed to frown and
pull away her gown from the dog's touch; Mr. Bloomfield
pshawed and read on at his paper; but I believe both secretly
caressed the confiding culprit. Certainly no more notice was
taken of her misdemeanours. As for Master Harry, on his
return he had the coolness to take high ground, and maintain
that the accidents were all owing to the ignorance and careless-
ness of the dog's keepers, and that if he had been at home,
and had Flora in charge, not a single misadventure would
have happened.
 Soon after this escapade, changes occurred in the curate's
family which established Flora's position there so firmly that
nothing short of a capital crime could have dislodged her.
Flora's character was far removed from a capital crime; she
was an honest, worthy dog, noble and sterling in her unaffected
humility and steadfast attachment. She had laid aside her
youthful indiscretions-whether the probations and penalties
of these days had anything to do with the peculiar staidness
and propriety which ultimately, except on rare and exceptional
occasions, distinguished her bearing. The dog, that was at
first permitted to live as a favour, and brought up under pro-
test, reached at last to as high honour as ever dog attained.