blanket, and, reopening the door, placed them before the astonished
and delighted vagabond. His eye glistened; he began, "Glory be to
God," but for once his habitual extravagance failed him. Nature
triumphed with a more eloquent silence over his well-worn art. He
hurriedly wiped his begrimed face and eyes with the shirt she had
given him, and catching the sleeve of her rough pea-jacket in his
dirty hand, raised it to his lips.

"Go!" she said imperiously. "Get away while you can."

"Av it vas me last words--it's speechless oi am," he stammered, and
disappeared over the railing.

She remained for a moment holding the door half open, and gazing
into the darkness that seemed to flow in like a tide. Then she
shut it, and going into her bedroom resumed her interrupted
toilette. When she emerged again she was smartly stockinged and
slippered, and even the blue serge skirt was exchanged for a bright
print, with a white fichu tied around her throat. An attempt to
subdue her rebellious curls had resulted in the construction from
their ruins of a low Norman arch across her forehead with pillared
abutments of ringlets. When her brother returned a few moments
later she did not look up, but remained, perhaps a little
ostentatiously, bending over the fire.

"Bob allowed that the Fort boat was huntin' MEN--deserters, I
reckon," said Jim aggrievedly. "Wanted me to believe that he SAW
one on the Marsh hidin'. On'y an Injin lie, I reckon, to git a
little extra fire-water, for toting me out to the bresh on a fool's
errand."