BILLY AND HANS 



moment of return to Mother Nature ; 

 but when I put him on the grass in 

 the warm light he only looked away 

 into vacancy, and lay still, and after 

 a little dreamily indicated to me to 

 take him up again ; and I remem- 

 bered that on the day before his 

 death I had carried Russie into the 

 green fields, hoping they would revive 

 him for one breathing-space, for I 

 knew that death was on him ; and he 

 lay and looked off beyond the fields 

 and flowers, and now he almost 

 seemed to be looking out of dear 

 little Billy's eyes. Billy signed to go 

 into my pocket and lay there, still, 

 even in his apathy, grasping my fore- 

 finger with his paws, and licking it as 

 if in his approaching dissolution he 

 still wished to show his love for me. 



I went out to walk early the next 

 morning, and when I returned I found 



