the old stone wall; "the idea of its daring to come out so soon!"

He took the frail little blossom and smiled at it half quizzically:
"It's funny," he said awkwardly, "your giving me this. You know, it's
what you made me think of, the first time I saw you,--a wild rose.
Didn't she, Mike?"

Mike, who had been dreaming all afternoon on the porch, had gotten up
reluctantly as they passed and followed them. He had a slow, lopsided
gait, and his tongue dangled from the side of his mouth. It was
evidently a sacrifice for him to accompany them, but duty was duty.

"You angel dog! Come here to your Missus!" commanded Miss Lady, as she
and Donald dropped down in the old barrel-stave hammock, that had
swung beneath the lilacs since the Colonel was a boy.

But Mike ambled past her, and after snuggling up to Don with a great
show of intimacy lay down at his feet.

"I'm glad somebody loves me," Donald said.

"It's your riding boots, Mike likes. He never had a chance to taste
tan shoe polish before!"

"What do you like me for?"

"Me? Who said I did?"

"Don't you?"