and the
sunshine strong.

As usual after my morning duties, I went in to take a look at our
insensible hostess. She lay, as she had mostly lain all winter, breathing
almost imperceptibly, her eyes closed. As I bent over her, her eyes
opened.

She sat up, wide-eyed, startled, the picture of amazement and it came over
me that she was no peasant woman, but a lady.

"Who are you?" she demanded, supporting herself on one elbow. "I do not
know you; what are you doing here?"

"I have been helping to nurse you," I said. "You have been ill a long time
and have needed much care. Lie down; you will hinder your recovery if you
exert yourself too soon."

She lay back, but propped herself up on her pillows, and in no weak voice
insisted on knowing who I was.

At that instant Agathemer entered. He, far more diplomatic than I, took
charge of the situation. The woman, instead of losing consciousness again
at once, as I expected, appeared possessed of much more strength than
anyone would have anticipated and asked searching questions.

Agathemer, tactfully but without any attempt at beating about the bush,
told her the whole truth, as to her illness, our finding her alone with
the two children, our care of her, and the length of our stay. He said
afterwards that he hoped the shock would cure her.

"Am I to understand you to say," she asked, "that I have been in this bed
since the middle of the autumn and that it is now almost spring?"

"Just that," said Agathemer simply.

"And that you two men have been, practically, in possession of this entire
place all that time?"

"That is true also," I said.

Agathemer and I looked at each other. We had used our one pair of scissors
mutually and our hair and beards were not shaggy or bushy. But we were a
rough, rather fierce-looking, pair.

"This," she said, "is terrible, terrible! Where are my daughters?"

"Playing about out in the sunshine," I said. "Plump and well-fed, and
healthy and cheerful."

"This," she repeated, "is terrible, terrible! May I not see them, may I
not speak to them, will you not bring them to me?"

"Indeed we will," I said and motioned to Agathemer. While he was gone the
woman and I regarded each other without speaking. When Agathemer returned
with the children I said:

"We will leave you to talk to your daughters alone. When you wish us to
return send one of the children for us."

The joy of the two at the sight of their mother, sensible and able to
re