By this time General MacNeill was nearly as much our friend as Esther's godmother, and, like her, had brought untold pleasure into our humdrum lives. He rode off, looking quite cheerful, and I felt that already he was better in the prospect of meeting his fellows, and having a good day after the fox. I was in a pleasanter mood with myself and the whole world, when I settled down to my long quiet day, alone in the library, or alone except for Paudeen, who is the most unobtrusive company, and is never so rowdy but what he can vent his high spirits on tearing the paper in the waste-paper basket into infinitesimal strips. It was twelve o'clock I found, after the General had departed, for he had only a short distance to ride to the meet. The hours passed with luxurious slowness. At half-past one a maid brought my lunch and set it on a table drawn close to the fire. After lunch I read again till it was nearly tea-time; I expected the General to be in for his tea, a repast which he fondly loved. About four, Mary O'Connor herself brought in the tea-tray, and lit the spirit-lamp under the urn. Having done this, she made up a bright little fire, and fetched the lamp with its large green shade. I had put down my book, and sat lazily watching her from my favourite seat, the top rung of the library steps, on which I perched, dangling my feet. "You've no idea, Mary," I said, "of how jolly the room looks from here." "Glory be to goodness, child!" said Mary, for the thousandth time, "I wish you'd come off that ould flight o' steps, and sit in a chair like a Christian. 'Tis breakin' your neck you'll be one o' these days." After she had gone out of the room I sat there listening to the song of the tea-urn, and feeling drowsily comfortable. Any moment I knew might bring the General, and it didn't seem worth while to get absorbed in a book again. As I sat there, suddenly the door leading to the garden, which I had left unlocked, began to open. I watched it with some alarm. Tramps were few in our neighbourhood, yet occasionally the mines brought rough customers looking for work, who would not be at all agreeable people to meet. Fortunately I am not the nervous kind, or I should have fallen off my high seat. As it was, I sat still to await developments, while Paudeen made for the door, with hair bristling and little white teeth showing. When the door was fully opened a man came a step over the threshold, and stood looking about the room. As there was no light beyond the radius of the fire and lamp I could not see him very well. He was dressed in a long rough coat, and was wearing a soft hat which hid his face. Since he did not seem inclined to come any further, and had plainly no idea of my presence, I sat still, hoping he would go. But suddenly there was a growl and a dart from Paudeen, and the stranger uttered an exclamation, then stooping, he lifted my little dog by the scruff of its neck.