“Duke took you out?”

“Yes, mamma.  When I went out to play with him this morning he caught hold of my dress and tried to pull me towards the barn.  I thought he was just playing; but when he did it the second time, I followed him, and he led me to white dog and the puppies.  Oh, they’re the cutest things you ever saw.”

[Illustration:  “The cutest things you ever saw.”]

Beth watched the growth of the puppies with great interest.  She was delighted when their eyes opened, and when they began to run around she was almost too happy for words.

That night she said to her papa:  “I’ve been thinking about Mr. Brown.  He must miss Duke awfully.  He wasn’t such a horrid man after all, or he wouldn’t have let me keep Duke.”

Mr. Davenport smiled.  “Beth, a man was talking to me about him to-day.  The man said Brown was trying to reform; that he hadn’t taken any liquor for some time past.  I was very glad to hear it.”

Beth pondered a minute or two, then asked: 

“Do you think if he had a dog now he’d be nice to it?”

“Yes, I believe he would.  Brown wasn’t half bad except when he drank.  But you’re not thinking of giving Duke back to him, are you?”

Beth shook her head very vigorously.  “I couldn’t do that, papa.  I love Duke too much.”

She said no more but got out paper and pencil.  She was backward in all schooling at this time, and could only print.  However, she sat down at the table beside her father and went to work.  It proved a very difficult task to her, but she persevered until she finished.  Most of the correctly spelled words she learned from her father.

This is what she wrote: 

“To dukes master duke has puppies wood you like a pup i havent thanked you for duke but i love duke very much and think you a nice man to give duke to me

“your little friend

“Beth davenport.”

She put the note in an envelope and sealed it.  Then she said to her father: 

“Papa, will you give this to Mr. Brown?  He’s to have one of Duke’s puppies if he wants it.”

Mr. Davenport delivered the note as desired.

The next afternoon, Beth saw a buggy turn in at their place, and presently she discerned Mr. Brown within it.  She waited, half-bashful, until he drove up.

He leaped from the buggy and raised his hat.  Beth was delighted because in every way he seemed so much improved.

“I’ve come for the puppy.”

“It’s in the barn, I’ll get it for you,” cried Beth, running there as fast as she could.

Duke was playing with the puppies.  When Beth appeared and took one he followed her out, but at sight of his former owner, he stopped still.  Mr. Brown, however, called out pleasantly: 

“Hello, Duke, I’m not going to take you away.  Won’t you come to me?  Come, nice dog.”

Duke must have felt the transformation in his former master, for he allowed Mr. Brown to pat him.  Beth did not say a word, but held out the puppy.  Mr. Brown took it, and said a little brokenly: