But Mr. Hawkes did not appear to notice Peg's shabbiness. On the
contrary he treated her and her belongings as though she were the
most fashionable of fine ladies and her wardrobe the most complete.
Outside the gates she found O'Farrell waiting for her, with the
precious "Michael" struggling to free himself from his coverings.
Hawkes soon had a cab alongside. He helped Peg into it: then she
stretched out her arms and O'Farrell opened the sail-cloths and out
sprang "Michael," dusty and dirty and blear-eyed, but oh! such a
happy, fussy, affectionate, relieved little canine when he saw his
beloved owner waiting for him. He made one spring at her, much to
the lawyer's dignified amazement, and began to bark at her, and lick
her face and hands, and jump on and roll over and over upon Peg in
an excess of joy at his release.
Peg offered O'Farrell an American dollar. She had very little left.
O'Farrell indignantly refused to take it.
"Oh, but ye must, indade ye must," cried Peg in distress. "Sure I
won't lie aisy to-night if ye don't. But for you poor 'Michael' here
might have been on that place ye spoke of--that Quarantine, whatever
it is. Ye saved him from that. And don't despise it because it's an
American dollar. Sure it has a value all over the wurrld.
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