But unexpected relief came to him from Doss, who, too deeply lost in
contemplation of his crevice, was surprised by the sudden descent of the
stone Lyndall's foot had loosened, which, rolling against his little front
paw, carried away a piece of white-skin. Doss stood on three legs, holding
up the paw with an expression of extreme self-commiseration; he then
proceeded to hop slowly upward in search of sympathy.
"You have hurt that dog," said Gregory.
"Have I?" she replied indifferently, and re-opened the book, as though to
resume her study of the play.
"He's a nasty, snappish little cur!" said Gregory, calculating from her
manner that the remark would be endorsed. "He snapped at my horse's tail
yesterday, and nearly made it throw me. I wonder his master didn't take
him, instead of leaving him here to be a nuisance to all of us!"
Lyndall seemed absorbed in her play; but he ventured another remark.
"Do you think now, Miss Lyndall, that he'll ever have anything in the
world--that German. I mean--money enough to support a wife on, and all
that sort of thing? I don't. He's what I call soft."
She was spreading her skirt out softly with her left hand for the dog to
lie down on it.
"I think I should be rather astonished if he ever became a respectable
member of society," she said. I don't expect to see him the possessor of
bank-shares, the chairman of a divisional council, and the father of a
large family; wearing a black hat, and going to church twice on a Sunday.
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