black, some appearing at the principal door, and some running from the
end of the building, where stood the entrance to the cellar-kitchen.

Besides these, there was a general rush from Richard’s kennel,
accompanied with every canine tone from the howl of the wolf-dog to
the petulant bark of the terrier. The master received their
boisterous salutations with a variety of imitations from his own
throat, when the dogs, probably from shame of being outdone, ceased
their out- cry. One stately, powerful mastiff, who wore round his
neck a brass collar, with “M. T.” engraved in large letters on the
rim, alone was silent. He walked majestically, amid the confusion, to
the side of the Judge, where, receiving a kind pat or two, he turned
to Elizabeth, who even stooped to kiss him, as she called him kindly
by the name of “Old Brave.” The animal seemed to know her, as she
ascended the steps, supported by Monsieur Le Quoi and her father, in
order to protect her from falling on the ice with which they were
covered. He looked wistfully after her figure, and when the door
closed on the whole party, he laid himself in a kennel that was placed
nigh by, as if conscious that the house contained some thing of
additional value to guard.

Elizabeth followed her father, who paused a moment to whisper a
message to one of his domestics, into a large hall, that was dimly
lighted by two candies, placed in high, old-fashioned, brass
candlesticks. The door closed, and the party were at once removed
from an atmosphere that was nearly at zero, to one of sixty degrees
above. In the centre of the hall stood an enormous stove, the sides
of which appeared to be quivering with heat; from which a large,
straight pipe, leading through the ceiling above, carried off the
smoke. An iron basin, containing water, was placed on this furnace,