The sigh was echoed below her! She looked down, startled.
Something small and white dragged itself out of the dark, and stretched along the ground at her feet, flat, as if life had gone out of it.
Betsy stooped and touched it, once, then she gathered it in her arms.
Van opened his tired eyes, kissed Betsy’s thumb, said “Woof!” and settled back contentedly.
He was home again, and his college days were over!
* * * * *
Out on the lawn a dark figure watched until the light flared up in Betsy’s room. Then the man shook his fist and muttered, as he slowly slouched away and disappeared in the night,
“Ef that cur hadn’t happened along, I’d ’a’ had her where she couldn’t holler. Courts, indeed! They’ve got me down here to try an’ prove that my own flesh and blood ain’t mine, an’ I can’t do what I choose with ’er. That Johns feller thinks he can rob me by proving that I ain’t fit. I’ll show him one thing I know about law. Possession is nine points of the law, and I guess he’ll squirm when he finds that I’ve clinched the tenth point. I guess Bet’ll come down from her high horse a mite. I’ve waited about long enough. I’ll show ’em!”
“‘Pa!’ said Betsy.”