BRUNO IN BELMONT 85 



suddenly became alarmed by a passing dog. Hear- 

 ing our voices, he jumped over the wall and came 

 running up the path toward the lady, his natural 

 protectress. She, in great alarm, turned in her 

 tracks, and pulling her child behind her, ran in the 

 opposite direction. I too joined the procession, 

 and tried to explain as I ran that there was no 

 cause at all for alarm. The baby was the only 

 one who enjoyed that situation; for her it was a 

 frolic long to be remembered. 



All the children on the place were fond of the 

 bear and loved to play with him. Alice came over 

 one morning, bringing her brand-new best doll. 

 "Bruno," said Alice, with her sweetest smile, 

 "don't you want to know my nice dolly, Sarah? 

 Shake hands with her, Bruno. I hope you will 

 like her." 



The cub did seem to like her, though he did not 

 shake her hand. What he shook was her head. 

 Alice's smile changed instantly to a look of con- 

 sternation, and her voice grew sharp and tense. 



" Stop it, you naughty bear ! Oh, see what he is 

 doing! Oh, please, Uncle Lyman," she appealed 

 to me, " make him stop it. " 



She was crying now, but it was too late for me to 

 interfere. The bear had rudely snatched the doll 

 from its carriage and was making off with it down 

 the meadow. Alice, screaming in dismay, with her 



