are lucid only once a year, he has the seeing gift all the year
round, and the good God showed him the lad in this cave, when we,
forsooth, should have looked for him in vain. I know that every
day Gluck is sent from the monastery laden with food and drink to
a poor widow living up yonder over the ravine. She is infirm and
bedridden, and her little grand-daughter takes care of her.
Doubtless the poor soul took the sous in the basket to be the gift
of the brothers, and, as her portion is not always the same from
day to day, but depends on what they can spare from the store set
apart for almsgiving, she would not notice the diminished cakes
and milk, save perhaps to grumble a little at the increase of the
beggars who trespassed thus on her pension."

There was silence among us for a moment, then St Aubyn's boy spoke.

"Father," he asked, tremulously, "shall I not see that good Gluck
again and tell the monks how he saved me, and how Fritz and Bruno
brought you here?"

"Yes, my child," answered St Aubyn, rising, and drawing the boy's
hand into his own, "we will go and find Gluck, who knows, no doubt,
all that has passed today, and is waiting for us at the monastery."

"We must ford the torrent," said Augustin; "the bridge was carried
off by last year's avalanche, but with six of us and the dogs it
will be easy work."

Twilight was falling; and already the stars of Christmas Eve
climbed the frosty heavens and appeared above the snowy far-off peaks.