ABSTRACT
During these last slowly moving days Maria followed her mistress everywhere. She would scarcely allow her out of her sight. Perhaps Viola’s restlessness may have warned this terribly intelligent animal that something unusual was in the air. The creature seemed to be striving, in her own eloquent fashion, to comfort her mistress and to assure her that under whatever vicissitudes of fortune, she might confidently count upon the support of her dumb and faithful friend.
