missionary's head, appeared to me one of those extraordinary wastes of
which Nature is sometimes guilty.

He was gazing far away into space infinitely beyond the Foothills and
the blue line of the mountains behind them. He turned to me as I drew
near, with eyes alight and face glowing.

"It is glorious," he almost panted. "You see this everyday!" Then,
recalling himself, he came eagerly toward me, stretching out his hand.
"You are the schoolmaster, I know. Do you know, it's a great thing? I
wanted to be one, but I never could get the boys on. They always got
me telling them tales. I was awfully disappointed. I am trying the next
best thing. You see, I won't have to keep order, but I don't think I
can preach very well. I am going to visit your school. Have you many
scholars? Do you know, I think it's splendid? I wish I could do it."

I had intended to be somewhat stiff with him, but his evident admiration
of me made me quite forget this laudable intention, and, as he talked
on without waiting for an answer, his enthusiasm, his deference to my
opinion, his charm of manner, his beautiful face, his luminous eyes,
made him perfectly irresistible; and before I was aware I was listening
to his plans for working his mission with eager interest. So eager was
my interest, indeed, that before I was aware I found myself asking him
to tea with me in my shack. But he declined, saying:

"I'd like to, awfully; but do you know, I think Latour expects me."

This consideration of Latour's feelings almost upset me.

"You come with me," he added, and I went.