They had gone.
Rilla came to herself with a gasp. There was a sudden quiet. Nothing to
do now but to go home--and wait. The doctor and Mrs. Blythe walked off
together--so did Nan and Faith--so did John Meredith and Rosemary.
Walter and Una and Shirley and Di and Carl and Rilla went in a group.
Susan had put her bonnet back on her head, hindside foremost, and
stalked grimly off alone. Nobody missed Dog Monday at first. When they
did Shirley went back for him. He found Dog Monday curled up in one of
the shipping-sheds near the station and tried to coax him home. Dog
Monday would not move. He wagged his tail to show he had no hard
feelings but no blandishments availed to budge him.
"Guess Monday has made up his mind to wait there till Jem comes back,"
said Shirley, trying to laugh as he rejoined the rest. This was exactly
what Dog Monday had done. His dear master had gone--he, Monday, had
been deliberately and of malice aforethought prevented from going with
him by a demon disguised in the garb of a Methodist minister. Wherefore,
he, Monday, would wait there until the smoking, snorting monster, which
had carried his hero off, carried him back.
Ay, wait there, little faithful dog with the soft, wistful, puzzled
eyes. But it will be many a long bitter day before your boyish comrade
comes back to you.
The doctor was away on a case that night and Susan stalked into Mrs.
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