THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 415 



irervant to open the door, which done, the mastiff, 

 with a significant wag of the tail, and a mingled look 

 of affection and gratification, quietly walked in, and 

 crawling under the bed, laid himself down, as if de- 

 sirous of taking up his night's quarters there. 



To save further annoyance, not from any partiality 

 for the dog's company. Sir Harry granted the desired 

 indulgence. The valet retired, and all was quiet. 

 After several hours, the chamber-door opened, and a 

 person was heard gently stepping across the room. 

 Sir Harry, waking from his sleep, spoke, and the dog 

 immediately rushing from his covert, sprung upon the 

 intruder, and seizing him, fixed him to the spot. The 

 alarm was given and a light procured, and the person 

 thus rivetted to the floor was discovered to be the 

 favourite valet, who, as soon as the dog was removed, 

 and he had recovered from his fright, began to apo- 

 logise for the intrusion, and gave some plausible pre- 

 text for his unwonted appearance ; suspicion, how- 

 ever, being aroused in Sir Harry's mind, he resolved 

 to investigate the business further by referring the 

 subject to a magistrate. 



The perfidious Italian, alternately terrified by the 

 dread of punishment, and soothed by the hopes of par- 

 don, at length confessed that it was his intention to 

 murder his master, and then to rob the house. This 

 diabolical design was frustrated solely by the instinctive 

 attachment of the dog to his master, which seems to 

 have been directed on this occasion by an interference 

 of Providence. How else could he have learned to 

 submit to injury and insult for his well-meant services, 

 and finally to seize and detain a person, who, it is pro- 

 bable, had shown him more kindness than his owner 

 had ev^er done ? A full-length picture of Sir Harry, 

 with the mastiff bv his side, and the words, " more 



