"Ah, Tzaritza! Good Tzaritza, welcome!" she instantly sprang up, rested
her forepaws upon his shoulders, and looked into his face with the most
limpid pair of eyes ever seen; eyes filled with something deeper than
human love can ever summon to human eyes, for those have human speech to
supplement their appeal.

"Tzaritza. Dear, faithful Tzaritza," said the old man in the tenderest
tone as he caressed the magnificent, silky head now nestling against his
face as a child's might have nestled. "Good dog. Good dog. But here are
Peggy and Shashai. My little girl, warm greetings," he cried as Shashai
came to an instant statue-like standstill at Peggy's one word, "Halt!"
and she slid from his back, braced at "attention" and saluted in all
gravity, the clergyman returning the salute with much dignity. Then in
an instant the martial attitude and air were discarded and springing
forward the girl slipped to his side, caught one hand and by a quick,
graceful motion circled his arm about her waist and laid her head upon
his shoulder just where Tzaritza's had but a moment before rested, her
face alight with affection as she exclaimed:

"To meet you 'way, 'way out here, Compadre!"

"'Far from the madding crowd,' Filiola. Five miles to the good for these
old legs of seventy-four summers. They have served me well. I have no
fault to find with them. They are stanch friends and have carried me
many a mile. But you, my child? You and Tzaritza and Shashai? Come
hither, my beauty," and the free hand was extended to the colt which
instantly advanced for the proffered caress.

"Ah, thou bonny, bonny creature! Thou jewel among thy fellows. Ah, but
you possess a masculine frailty. Ah, yes, I've detected it. Oh, Shashai,