She closed her eyes and let the joy flow over her, a sweet, sweet pain, till almost it took her breath away, and brought tears to her happy eyes. He kissed them away, and said over and over, "My darling! My darling! I have found you at last!" and she nestled closer to him and hid her face against his breast. It seemed a long time to Rags, and finally he broke away from his master with a bound and stood barking joyously at their feet. "Oh, there is Rags!" exclaimed Dawn, with a happy little laugh. "Dear Rags!" "Yes!" said Rags in his own way. "Dear _Teacher_! I’m glad I found you!" "And Dan is here, too," said Charles. "Come here, Dan, and share our joy." Then came Daniel, his face red with embarrassment, and stood bashfully before her. "I found him, and he’s helped me to find you, dear," said Charles. "He’s told me all about everything." All dishevelled as she was, with her lovely hair about her shoulders, Dawn stood bravely to receive him, and put out both hands to the boy. "Dear Dan!" she said. She took his hands in hers for an instant, and Dan bowed his head, but he had nothing to say. He felt that he had received a benediction. Rags saw how he felt about it and tried to help him out. "Me, too!" he barked, and Dawn, laughing, stooped and patted the dog lovingly, while he wriggled himself half in two in his joy. "But have you had any breakfast?" asked Charles, with sweet responsibility in his tone, as Dawn shook back her curls and gathered them into a knot on her head, fastening them with her comb quite properly. Dan lowered his eyes deferentially and looked away from the pretty sight, knowing it was not for him. Dawn’s face grew grave. "Is it morning?" said she. "How could I have slept so long when there was so much to be done! Mrs. Van Rensselaer——" "I know, dear," Charles stopped her, "but she is being cared for. The woman told me she seemed a little better. I got her letter last evening, and we came at once, Dan and I. We had been down to New York, hunting you, and just missed you. We had gone home utterly discouraged, when this note came, just these words, ’Dawn is here.’ We started at once. How long had she been ill?" "The letter?" said Dawn. "I don’t understand. I just came myself yesterday morning. She was very ill when I got here. She couldn’t have mailed any letter, unless—— Oh, it must be that she dragged herself out and sent it while I was hunting hot water and a doctor for her? The doctor found her lying at the gate unconscious, and brought her in." "She had done you a great injury," said Charles, with a grave face. "But she almost gave her life to make it right again," said Dawn solemnly. "I have heard exertion is usually fatal in cholera. And she asked me twice to forgive her. Think of that! Wasn’t it wonderful? But you don’t know her and can’t understand how unlike her that seems." Dawn was crying softly now, and Charles soothed her anxiously.