CHAPTER XX.
A FRESH DAY DAWNS.
Old Oliver and Tony saw their darling buried in a little grave in a cemetery miles away from their own home, and then they returned, desolate and bereaved, to the deserted city, which seemed empty indeed to them.
The house had never looked so very dark and dreary before.

Yet from time to time old Oliver forgot that Dolly was gone altogether, and could never come back; for he would call her in his eager, quavering tones, or search for her in some of the hiding-places, where she had often played at hide-and-seek with him.

When mealtimes came round he would put out Dolly's plate and cup, which had been bought on purpose for her, with gay flowers painted upon them; and in the evening, over his pipe, when he had been used to talk to his Lord, he now very often said nothing but repeat again and again Dolly's little prayer, which he had himself taught her, "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild." It was quite plain to Tony that it would never do to leave him alone in his house and shop.
"I've give up my place as errand-boy," he said to Mr.Ross, "'cause the old master grows worse and worse for forgetting, and I must mind shop for him now as well as I can.

He's not off his head, as you may say; he's sharp enough sometimes; but there's no trusting to him being sharp always.

He talks to Dolly as if she was here, and could hear him, till I can't hardly bear it.