Joseph was not so much hurt but that in a few minutes, when the wound had been dressed, he was able to walk home accompanied by the gentleman, who seemed strangely agitated at the event.
As Mr. Saunders had not yet come in from his office, the stranger left, but returned in a few minutes with a distinguished surgeon, who, after a rapid examination of the wound, gave orders for fresh bandages, and directed that the door should be locked.
Aunt Clarissa was indignant, and began to remonstrate, when he cut her short by saying, curtly, "It is his only chance of life." For a few minutes the most piercing screams issued from the closed room, and in the midst of them, the father entered.
"Mr. Saunders," said the surgeon, when he was admitted to the side of his boy, "I am sorry to say your son has had a bite in the leg from a dog. It would be slight, however, were it not for the fears of the owner that the dog—is—mad."
The poor father staggered back, pale and trembling, when the stranger added,—
"I brought him home, and, knowing his only chance of life was that the wound be cauterized without delay, I summoned Dr.—, who has just completed the operation."
Mr. Saunders, pressing his hand to his forehead, rushed to the sofa where Joseph lay pallid and exhausted with suffering.
Before he left, the stranger stated that for a day or two, Nero, who was a great favorite in the family on account of having saved the life of a young brother, had acted so strangely that his suspicions were excited that all was not right; still, no symptom of madness had appeared. In the morning, he had seen two children in the yard, and had ordered them out, forbidding them to enter again, and he had also ordered the gate to be kept locked. With a countenance almost as agitated as that of the stricken father, he then took his leave.
Two days later, a note came from him which was as follows:—
"I regret most keenly being under the necessity of informing you that Nero, who, since the accident to your son, has been in confinement, has shown unmistakable signs of madness, and just been shot."