Hawkes interposed. "Oh, come, come, Miss O'Connell, you can see the
little dog whenever you want to," and he tried to take "Michael" out
of her arms. "Come, let me have him."
But Peg resisted. She was positive when she said:
"No, I won't give him up. I won't. I had a hard enough time gettin'
him ashore, I did."
Hawkes pleaded again.
"No," said Peg firmly. "I WILL NOT GIVE HIM UP. And that's all there
is about it."
The lawyer tried again to take the dog from her: "Come, Miss
O'Connell, you really must be reasonable."
"I don't care about being reasonable," replied Peg. "`Michael' was
given to me by me father an' he's not very big and he's not a
watchdog, he's a pet dog--and look--" She caught sight of Ethel's
little poodle and with a cry of self-justification, she said:
"See, she has a dog in the house--right here in the house. Look at
it!" and she pointed to where the little ball of white wool lay
sleeping on Ethel's lap. Then Peg laughed heartily: "I didn't know
what it was until it MOVED."
Peg finally weakened under Mr. Hawkes' powers of persuasion and on
the understanding that she could see him whenever she wanted to,
permitted the lawyer to take "Michael" out of her arms and give him
to the disgusted footman, who held him at arm's length in mingled
fear and disgust.
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