“Little boy!” she called, “come here! Come and talk to your dog—come quick! I won’t hurt you. Come and call him—please come!” For a moment she lay panting, looking into the dilated eyes so near her face. “Old chap,” she said softly, “what’s all the fuss? I’m your friend if you only knew it. Nice doggie——” She glanced at the child again, who had not moved. “Come on, sonny,” she called coaxingly, “come on—please.” Slowly the child came forward, hesitant, afraid, his small face pale with fright. He sidled near and put out a dirty hand to the dog’s right ear. The little hand closed—pulled—and Nance felt the dog’s body twitch in an effort to obey. She knew at once that that was the way they travelled together—the child holding to his ear. Slowly she relaxed her grip, let go the backward pressure. The Collie jerked free and backed off shaking his head, and Nance sat up, folding her feet beneath her. Then she smiled at the two waifs of Blue Stone Cañon. “That isn’t a nice way to treat folks who come to see you, is it, sonny?” she asked, “to set your dog on them?” “I didn’t set him on,” said the child in a high treble, “he set himself on you.” “I guess you’re right,” answered the girl, “but don’t let go of him again. Go over there and pick up that package and bring it to me.” She pointed to the package of bread and meat which had been flung wide in the recent trouble, and the child obeyed, dragging the Collie along, who went unwillingly, his distrustful and baffled eyes turned back across his shoulder to keep her in sight. The child, too, was wary, reaching far out, stretching his small body to the utmost between her hand and his hold on the dog’s ear. Quickly Nance unrolled the cloth. She counted on the aroma which now arose on the clear air. “I’m hungry,” she said nonchalantly, “are you?” The boy nodded. “And your dog, too?” “I ’spect so,” he answered gravely. She broke the food into sections and handed a portion over. The dirty little hand reached eagerly this time. “Feed him some,” she said, indicating the dog, but already the child was dividing as best he could without releasing his hold. The dog grabbed the fragrant meat and bolted it, watching her the while. Quickly she tossed him a bit of her own. He snapped that up also and she fancied the expression of the pale eyes changed. She remembered now the extraordinary lightness of the great furry body, as if there was little beneath the splendid tawny coat save bones and spirit. Plenty of the latter, she reflected, smiling. Whew! but wasn’t he a fighter? But trained to the last degree—though he regarded her as a foe, still at the touch of the small hand for which he had fought he stood obedient. Pretending to eat herself, she managed to give the greater part of the food to the two before her, and they devoured it to the ultimate crumb.