"SUSPENSE." 85

rather an idle holiday world, with a marked inclination to
congregate at the railway station on another fine spring
morning-that Master Harry was coming. Withal, Flora's
sagacity and devotion could hardly be expected to compass
the fact that late events had intensified the importance of
such information. She submitted to have a sailor's blue
ribbon tied round her neck, in honour of the day and her
master; but she wore the decoration rather with imper-
turbability than with conscious pride, and she took no notice
of the flags and evergreens which were displayed with kindly
zeal.
 When the train steamed into the station, and a brown face
appeared at the window of a carriage, crowded with brothers
and sisters, in addition to an old mother, Flora did strain
violently at the chain by which Hoppus, for greater precaution,
held her, and it was with difficulty that she was induced to
have the grace to permit Harry to pay his respects first to his
father-who, as by an involuntary motion, uncovered his white
head to receive his lost son-before she sprang upon her
master in a rapture of welcome, which Harry's Hold on, old
dog; don't worry me outright !" only raised to a higher pitch
of ecstasy.
 But Flora was not naturally a demonstrative, far less a
forward dog. She soon controlled herself, and recalled the
superior claims of others, falling respectfully, and with a
shadow of shamefacedness for her late unwonted ebullition, to
heel, and following decorously, for the rest of the way, in the
little procession.
 Only one trouble occurred with the dog. It had been
arranged that the reunited family, with their friends and the