40 The Life Worth Living 



We had two more glorious seasons together, 

 and as the end drew nearer he seemed brighter, 

 swifter and more human in his intelligence. 



The second summer after the doctor's ver- 

 dict, he suddenly dropped, one day, under 

 the shadow of a great elm on the lawn. 

 Death had called him, and he crouched and 

 shivered at my feet afraid of his new Master. 

 I tenderly smoothed his beautiful hair. He 

 looked up into my face at last, his great soft 

 eyes full of a strange terror. Unable to bear 

 it, I started to leave him. He staggered to 

 his feet and tried to follow me, took three 

 steps forward, stumbled and fell. 



