his cheek.

When he opened his eyes again, she had gone back to the fireplace, all
her brightness with her, and was resting there, a drowsy, golden girl,
her head bent forward on her knees and her slim arms wrapped close about
her legs.

Eric lay and watched her for many sleepy minutes while her light fell
dimmer and dimmer, lower and lower. When it was just a tiny flicker he
dropped to sleep.




CHAPTER IV

THE GOSSIP


He slept long and deeply, for when he woke he felt rested. But he did not
open his eyes. "It must be time for Mrs. Freg to shake me," he was
thinking. "Until she does I'll just stay as I am and pretend it wasn't a
dream, but real." For although he remembered very well all that had
happened to him yesterday, he could not believe it was true.

So he lay still in his snug bed, wondering that Mrs. Freg's boys had
left him so much of the bed-clothes. "How fine to have a little time to
pretend a dream!" he said to himself. But Mrs. Freg did not come and did
not come, until at last he opened his eyes, just in wonderment. "It must
be six o'clock!"