That evening he sent for Michael, and without any words of explanation placed the summons in his hand. The countenance of the honest fellow as he slowly read it through and took in its import was an amusing study. Bewilderment, surprise, indignation, and alarm were in turn expressed in his frank face, and when he had finished he stood before Mr. Lloyd speechless, but looking as though he wanted to say: "What will you be after doing to me now, that I've got you into such a scrape?"
Assuming a seriousness he did not really feel, Mr. Lloyd looked hard at Michael, as he asked:
"Do you know anything about this?"
Michael reddened, and dropped his eyes to the ground, but answered, unhesitatingly:
"I do, sir. It was meself that gave the old brute the dose of medicine that fixed him."
"But, Michael," said Mr. Lloyd, with difficulty restraining a smile, "it was not right of you to take the law into your own hands in that way. You knew well enough that I could not approve of it."
"I did, indeed, sir," answered Michael, "but," lifting up his head as his warm Irish heart stirred within him, "I couldn't sleep at night for thinking of what might happen to the young master if the dog weren't killed; and, so unbeknownst to anybody, I just slipped over the fence, and dropped him a bit of steak that I knew he would take to kindly. I'm very sorry, sir, if I've got you into any trouble, but sure can't you just tell them that it was Michael that did the mischief, and then they won't bother you at all."
"No, no, Michael. I'm not going to do that. You meant for the best what you did, and you did it for the sake of my boy, so I will assume the responsibility; but I hope it will be a lesson to you not to take the law into your own hands again. You see it is apt to have awkward consequences."
"That's true, sir," assented Michael, looking much relieved at this conclusion. "I'll promise to be careful next time, but—" pausing a moment as he turned to leave the room—"it's glad I am that that cross old brute can't have another chance at Master Bert, all the same." And having uttered this note of triumph, he made a low bow and disappeared.
Mr. Lloyd had a good laugh after the door closed upon him.