The day was by this time waning, when the gate again opened, and, with
the brilliant golden light that streamed from the declining sun and
touched the very bars of the sooty creature's den, there passed in a
little child; a little girl with beautiful bright hair. She wore a plain
straw hat, had a door-key in her hand, and tripped towards Mr. Traveller
as if she were pleased to see him and were going to repose some childish
confidence in him, when she caught sight of the figure behind the bars,
and started back in terror.

"Don't be alarmed, darling!" said Mr. Traveller, taking her by the hand.

"Oh, but I don't like it!" urged the shrinking child; "it's dreadful."

"Well! I don't like it either," said Mr. Traveller.

"Who has put it there?" asked the little girl. "Does it bite?"

"No,--only barks. But can't you make up your mind to see it, my dear?"
For she was covering her eyes.

"O no no no!" returned the child. "I cannot bear to look at it!"

Mr. Traveller turned his head towards his friend in there, as much as to
ask him how he liked that instance of his success, and then took the
child out at the still open gate, and stood talking to her for some half
an hour in the mellow sunlight. At length he returned, encouraging her
as she held his arm with both her hands; and laying his protecting hand
upon her head and smoothing her pretty hair, he addressed his friend