ost hoarse from the extreme difficulty with
which they were spoken. As for a laugh, she tried it once.

She was served and tended with, it is hard to say whether most
care or most pleasure, by both her companions. Midway of the
meal came a help to her shyness.

The door slowly opened and a girl stepped in. She might have
been fourteen or fifteen; she was tall enough for that; but
the little figure was like a rail. So slight, so thin, so
little relieved by any sufficiency of drapery in her poor
costume. But the face was above all thin, pale, worn; with
eyes that looked large and glassy from want and weariness. She
came in, but then stood still, looking at the party where she
had expected to find only the old Norwegian woman.

'Who is this?' said Rollo to Gyda.

'It is Truedchen, of the Hollow. What is wanting, my child?'
said Gyda.

'Come seeking medicine for the mind or body?' said Rollo. But
after a second glance he rose up, went to the girl and offered
a chair. She looked at him without seeming to know his
meaning.

'Speak Deutsch, Olaf,' said Gyda; 'and ye'll get better
hearing. She can't speak yon.'

A few words in German made a change. The wan face waked up a
little and looked astonished at the speaker. Rollo seated her;
then poured out himself a cup of Gyda's coffee, creamed and
sugared it duly, and offered it to the girl with the
observance he would have given to a lady. Then he moved her
chair nearer to the table, and supplied porridge and then
peaches; talking and talking to her all the while. The answers
began to come at last; the girl's colour changed with the
coffee, and her eyes brightened with every spoonful of the
cream and porridge; and at last came a smile--what was it
like?--like the wintriest gleam of a cold sky upon a cold
world. Rollo got better than that, however, before he was
done.

He had come back to Wych Hazel and left the girl to finish her
supper in peace; when suddenly his attention was attracted by
some question addressed by the latter to Gyda. He looked up
and himself answered. The girl started from her seat with a
degree of animation she had given no symptom of till then,
said a few words very eagerly and hurriedly, and darted from
the door like a sprite.

'What now?' said Hazel, looking after the girl. 'What has Mr.
Rollo done?'

'Cut short somebody's supper, I'm afraid. But she finished her
porridge, didn't she? And has taken one peach with her! Do
they all look that