and think over all that has happened. I fancy you have had a lesson to-day that will last you for one while.'

'Ah!' thought I, as I walked slowly across the yard, I fancy I have had a lesson indeed.'

It was a very hard one to learn; but once known, it was of more value than all the teaching I had got from being fed with silver spoons off Worcester china.

A

CHAPTER IV.

LTHOUGH my mistress never again referred to the struggle which had taken place between us, yet it left

a certain uneasy sensation in my own mind which I found it impossible to overcome. I felt I had sunk in the estimation of my mistress, and I watched eagerly for an opportunity of reinstating myself in her good opinion. At length, to my great joy, this opportunity came.

One day I was sitting in the drawing-room by the side of my mistress, when the door opened, and Jane came into the room.

'If you please, ma'am,' she said, 'my pig is cut up; the pork is all laid in the kitchen; will you come and look at it ?'

'No, Jane; I am busy.'

Oh, ma'am but please I want you to see.

I do not know which parts you will keep, and which I am to send away.'

'Well, then-come, Nep.'

'Oh, ma'am not the dog. If his lordship were to take a piece, what would you say then ?'

'I should say you must take it from him.' 'Bless you, ma'am, I could not do that.' 'I do not think your courage will be tried. I do not believe Nep will touch a bit of pork now. I want to see if he can be trusted. Nep, can you be trusted?' said my mistress, as she looked at me caressingly.

Trusted! I should think so! Why, here was the very opportunity for which I had been pining; and, quite forgetting I was in the drawing-room, I jumped and barked aloud with joy.

'Kate, take that dog away,' said Mrs. Roscoe. 'He is going, mamma. He is coming with

me to see the pork.'

'Well, it is a very fine pig, certainly,' said my mistress, when, as we reached the kitchen, Jane exhibited such a goodly array of well-cut joints, and tempting bits of odds and ends, as might cause other mouths than those of dogs to

water.

Put that dish down on the floor, Jane,' said

my mistress, pointing to one on which the bits of meat looked especially tempting.

But, Miss Roscoe, that is putting it just within his lordship's reach.'

'Never mind, Jane; do as you are told.' Jane put the dish on the floor, but I saw that she had sore misgivings as she did it.

'And now, Jane, we will leave the room.' I was turning to go with my mistress, when, to my surprise, I heard her say

'Nep, stay here. Listen: you must not touch-not touch a bit.'

Oh, ma'am ! do not be for leaving his lordship here all alone. It would not be fair upon a human, let alone a dog.'

'Yes; it must be done, Jane. I trust his lordship's honour.'

'Well, ma'am, if you will have it so, of course it must be so. But I say again, as I said before, it is not fair. We pray not to be led into temptation ourselves, and we have no right to be leading others into it; no, not so much as a dumb beast.'

For a moment my mistress seemed to hesitate; but then, merely repeating her command that I was not to touch the meat, she called Jane out of the room, and the door was closed, leaving me alone, surrounded by all those

tempting morsels. Oh, how soft and fat they looked! How delicious they smelt! How could I help sniffing here and sniffing there! One little bit among so many-would that be missed? Surely I might eat one little bit; who could count so many odds and ends and scraps! Who would know one piece of fat was gone from off so big a pile as yonder. If I was not to touch the meat-ah! I agreed with Jane -why put me in such sore temptation?

Why? and I made answer to myself, 'Why, Nep, is not this the very moment for which you have been so long and so anxiously waiting? The harder the temptation the better worth the victory. Thief as you were, now prove yourself an honest dog. Show your mistress you can be trusted. Regain for yourself your own lost self-esteem. Leave off sniffing, for sniffing will lead to tasting; and go, go lie down by the door there, as far away as may be from the object of your desire. There, go, turn away your head, and shut your eyes, and put your nose down upon your paws, and hope it will not be long before your mistress comes to set you free.'

And, suiting the action to my thoughts, I laid myself down in the corner of the kitchen the furthest possible removed from the scene