"my son," said mrs. abrams, in low, gentle tone to mark one day, as she looked into the small library where he sat busily at work upon something half-concealed in his hand, "come here a mimute, won't you?"
"are you in a hurry, mother?" he replied, lifting his black eyes, bright with an expression of determination, and resting them full upon his mother's face.
"no, not exactly, if you are busy; but what are you doing?"
"i'll tell you when i come in, and not keep you waiting long either."
mrs. abrams quietly withdrew, and returned to the bedside of her little daughter rachel, who lay suffering from pain and burning with fever.
"what can mamma do for her darling now?" said the fond mother, as she bent her head over her child and smoothed back the fair hair from the heated brow; "does your arm still hurt, my lamb?" the child's moan was her only answer.
"what a pity! how cruel that your dear little arm should have been so torn by that savage dog!" continued mrs. abrams, as she wet the bandage again with the cooling lotion, and brushed away the tears that she could not repress at the sight of her little daughter's suffering.
the sound of footsteps, and mark stood in the doorway, holding in his hand a small, dark object, and said:
"mother, do you see this? well, i've got it ready--"
"o mark!" interrupted his mother in horror. "when did you get that deadly thing: i beg of you, put that pistol up at once; the very sight of it terrifies me."
mark laughed and replied, "i'll fix old dame flannagan's dog, mother, and then i'll put it away. she hid the dog from the police, but she can't keep it hid always. i shall kill it on sight, and go prepared to do so. i have vowed i would."
"let the dog alone, son, you may get into trouble if you do not," replied his mother.
"indeed, i will not let the dog alone," replied mark indignantly, as he drew nearer to the bed whereon the suffering little sister lay, with lacerated arm and burning brow. "to think of this dear child, as she was innocently trundling her hoop along the side-walk, being attacked by that savage brute, and her life so narrowly saved! indeed, i'll not let it alone. i'll shoot it the first time i set eyes upon it, and the old hag had better not say anything to me after i have done it. poor little darling!
"what shall brother mark bring his little sister today?" continued the fond brother, stooping over and kissing the child again and again, before leaving for the office of the shipping firm, of which he had just been made a partner.
"yes, mother," he continued, slipping the weapon of death into the inner pocket of his coat, "i am not a warlike man, as you know, but i'll carry this," pointing to the pistol, "till i kill that dog, sure;" and adjusting his coat and hat he passed out of the house.
rabbi abrams did not reside among the palatial residences of the queen city. a rather restricted income compelled him to find a more unpretentious home than was perhaps in keeping with his avocation and position in life. yet, carrying into practice the teaching he set forth, to "owe no man anything," and never live beyond one's income, he established his home in a portion of the city that was rather characterized by low rents than aristocratic abodes. however, they were respectable, and comfortably situated withal. immediately adjoining the rabbi's house lived a garrulous old irish woman, at once the aversion and dread of the neighborhood. old margery o'flannagan needed no protection against the incursions of depredators, beyond the use of her own venomous tongue; still, she further strengthened her ramparts by the aid of a dog of most savage and ferocious propensities, that she dignified by the ominous name of "danger." between her and danger there existed the strongest bond of friendship, if not affection. in an unexpected manner, this savage dog had assaulted the little daughter of the rabbi, and when the father demanded the life of the dog at the hands of the police, she hid him away out of reach, and swearing like a pirate, threatened to kill any man that dared molest danger.