No word of farewell was said, but in a moment or two she heard her
aunt's rough voice calling after them, "You've no right to that dog,
and if you takes him I'll have the law of you!"
The policeman stopped, and turned round. "Oh, by the way, I've
forgot one thing now. I want to see your dog-licence."
But Emma Smith only walked away into the van muttering angrily, and
banging the door after her, left them to go their way in peace.
Huldah scarcely knew how that walk passed. She was conscious now and
then of a feeling of shame, for letting herself be carried.
She felt she ought to walk, but before she could say so the old
faintness stole over her again, and she knew that to walk was beyond
her power. Now and then she heard the policeman talking in a
friendly voice to Dick, who walked close beside them, and Dick's
excited bark. She was wondering how much further they had to go,
when they drew up, and Huldah found herself being laid on a wooden
bench in a room where two or three policemen were standing round a
fire.
To her surprise, she was no longer afraid of them, they were too kind
and gentle for that. One of those standing by the fire, an elderly
man, came over to where she lay.
"Well, young woman," he said, cheerfully, "and when did you have
anything to eat last? Day before yesterday, by the look of you.
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