"A useful old dog except when there is any dope about! Hope you don't mind niggers." "I shall get used to them," said Sylvia rather faintly.
"There's nothing formidable about this one," he said, "She can't help being hideous.

She is quite tame." Sylvia tried to smile.

Certainly Mary Ann was hideous, but her lameness was equally obvious.

She evidently stood in considerable awe of her master, obeying his slightest behest with clumsy solicitude and eyes that rolled unceasingly in his direction.
Burke kept her in the room while he bathed the injury.

He was very gentle, and Sylvia was soon conscious of relief.