Yet, before her hand could touch the child, the dog turned upon her savagely, while she, seemingly beyond all personal fear, threw her arms about his rigid neck, pressing her agonized, white face against his black head and fiercely opened, slavering jaws, while she pleaded humbly: “Forgive me, ‘Watch’! I know I do not deserve it--and you know just what I meant should happen! But, forgive me, ‘Watch,’ for her sake! Give her to me, honest, brave, old ‘Watch’! I promise you I will love her all my life long!” He held himself very stiff within her circling arms for a moment, looking hard into her eyes, then suddenly he brightened visibly--gave her one all-comprehensive caress reaching from chin to brow--and gently, cautiously stepping backward, left the piteous bundle within the reach of her hungry hands. ‘Watch’ first looked across at Brockway and wagged a courteous greeting to him, then he stretched himself, both fore and aft, and yawned great, loud, throat-revealing yawns that went far to show how long a time his muscles and his nerves had been kept taut and on the strain. Meantime, the first loving kiss, the first sweet mother-kiss that blesses where it rests, had been given, and under cover of the all-concealing, matronly shawl of that period, the baby had established communication with the quick-lunch-counter Dame Nature superintended. Mrs. Tyler needed young Brockway’s help in getting home, after the shock she had received, and at the beginning of their long walk his horror of her was so evident that, in self defence, she told him part of her story, and with such effect that there were tears in the lad’s eyes when he tried to realize what those dreadful months must have been--during which she could not recall ever to have seen the sun--could not remember any act of her own doing, all that time--save that one awful act!--was only conscious of one desire--to destroy this child, because its coming would prevent her husband from making the regular payment on the farm, and he might lose it and be ruined--so she watched and waited for a chance to abandon the baby to the wild animals--that she might thus save the farm and family--and he rejoiced with her, as she told of how, suddenly at his home, she had had a loud, rushing sound in her ears, the sunlight had become visible to her, she had looked at her lap for her baby, and then remembered she had left it in the woods to be devoured! How she had run--how she had prayed, and God had been merciful!--and he, Brockway, would not hate and fear her now--would he? and he would not speak of this any more than he could help?--and oh, was not black “Watch” a hero to save her darling’s life? But the boy thought she owed a good deal to the condition of the bear. It was fat and sleek--well fed, and therefore good-natured. Had it been rough-coated, thin, hungry, “Watch” would have probably given his life--and in vain! And then, at her gasping cry at such a suggestion,