Itwasmuffledbydistance，butthatcouldnottaketheterroroutofit，anditwasthemostdreadfulsoundtomethatIhadeverheard.Itwentallabout，everywhere，downthere：alongthehalls，throughalltherooms，inbothstories，andinthebasementandthecellar;thenoutside，andfartherandfartheraway——thenback，andallaboutthehouseagain，andIthoughtitwouldnever，neverstop.Butatlastitdid，hoursandhoursafterthevaguetwilightofthegarrethadlongagobeenblottedoutbyblackdarkness.
Theninthatblessedstillnessmyterrorsfelllittlebylittleaway，andIwasatpeaceandslept.ItwasagoodrestIhad，butIwokebeforethetwilighthadcomeagain.Iwasfeelingfairlycomfortable，andI
couldthinkoutaplannow.Imadeaverygoodone;whichwas，tocreepdown，allthewaydownthebackstairs，andhidebehindthecellardoor，andslipoutandescapewhentheicemancameatdawn，whilehewasinsidefillingtherefrigerator;thenIwouldhideallday，andstartonmyjourneywhennightcame;myjourneyto——well，anywherewheretheywouldnotknowmeandbetraymetothemaster.Iwasfeelingalmostcheerfulnow;thensuddenlyIthought：Why，whatwouldlifebewithoutmypuppy！
Thatwasdespair.Therewasnoplanforme;Isawthat;ImustsaywhereIwas;stay，andwait，andtakewhatmightcome——itwasnotmyaffair;
thatwaswhatlifeis——mymotherhadsaidit.Then——well，thenthecallingbeganagain！Allmysorrowscameback.Isaidtomyself，themasterwillneverforgive.IdidnotknowwhatIhaddonetomakehimsobitterandsounforgiving，yetIjudgeditwassomethingadogcouldnotunderstand，butwhichwascleartoamananddreadful.
Theycalledandcalled——daysandnights，itseemedtome.Solongthatthehungerandthirstneardrovememad，andIrecognizedthatIwasgettingveryweak.Whenyouarethiswayyousleepagreatdeal，andI
did.OnceIwokeinanawfulfright——itseemedtomethatthecallingwasrightthereinthegarret！Andsoitwas：itwasSadie\'svoice，andshewascrying;mynamewasfallingfromherlipsallbroken，poorthing，andIcouldnotbelievemyearsforthejoyofitwhenIheardhersay：
\"Comebacktous——oh，comebacktous，andforgive——itisallsosadwithoutour——\"
IbrokeinwithSUCHagratefullittleyelp，andthenextmomentSadiewasplungingandstumblingthroughthedarknessandthelumberandshoutingforthefamilytohear，\"She\'sfound，she\'sfound！\"
Thedaysthatfollowed——well，theywerewonderful.ThemotherandSadieandtheservants——why，theyjustseemedtoworshipme.Theycouldn\'tseemtomakemeabedthatwasfineenough;andasforfood，theycouldn\'tbesatisfiedwithanythingbutgameanddelicaciesthatwereoutofseason;andeverydaythefriendsandneighborsflockedintohearaboutmyheroism——thatwasthenametheycalleditby，anditmeansagriculture.Iremembermymotherpullingitonakennelonce，andexplainingitinthatway，butdidn\'tsaywhatagriculturewas，exceptthatitwassynonymouswithintramuralincandescence;andadozentimesadayMrs.GrayandSadiewouldtellthetaletonew—comers，andsayI
riskedmylifetosaythebaby\'s，andbothofushadburnstoproveit，andthenthecompanywouldpassmearoundandpetmeandexclaimaboutme，andyoucouldseetheprideintheeyesofSadieandhermother;andwhenthepeoplewantedtoknowwhatmademelimp，theylookedashamedandchangedthesubject，andsometimeswhenpeoplehuntedthemthiswayandthatwaywithquestionsaboutit，itlookedtomeasiftheyweregoingtocry.
Andthiswasnotalltheglory;no，themaster\'sfriendscame，awholetwentyofthemostdistinguishedpeople，andhadmeinthelaboratory，anddiscussedmeasifIwasakindofdiscovery;andsomeofthemsaiditwaswonderfulinadumbbeast，thefinestexhibitionofinstincttheycouldcalltomind;butthemastersaid，withvehemence，\"It\'sfaraboveinstinct;it\'sREASON，andmanyaman，privilegedtobesavedandgowithyouandmetoabetterworldbyrightofitspossession，haslessofitthatthispoorsillyquadrupedthat\'sforeordainedtoperish\";andthenhelaughed，andsaid：\"Why，lookatme——I\'masarcasm！blessyou，withallmygrandintelligence，theonlythinkIinferredwasthatthedoghadgonemadandwasdestroyingthechild，whereasbutforthebeast\'sintelligence——it\'sREASON，Itellyou！——thechildwouldhaveperished！\"
Theydisputedanddisputed，andIwastheverycenterofsubjectofitall，andIwishedmymothercouldknowthatthisgrandhonorhadcometome;itwouldhavemadeherproud.
