"Everychild, I have found her house!"

"You have found her house?" echoed Everychild in perplexity.

"My mother's house! I have seen it again! These many days, while you
have been happy here, I have made countless journeys far and near. I
made a final search. I could not give her up. And now I have found
her house--the house where I dwelt when I was a child!"

This was good news, indeed. Everychild knew how the heart of the giant
had yearned for his mother. He smiled delightedly. "Ah, and so you
have seen her at last!" he cried.

"I have not seen her--no," confessed the giant. "They would not allow
me to enter--they who surround her. I was but one, and they were many;
and they are cruel and relentless. But now that I have found the place
which shelters her I shall not give up until I stand face to face with
her again. Dear Everychild . . ."

"Well?" said Everychild, seeing that his friend found it very hard to
continue.

"I have come now to tell you we must part. I could not remain away,
remembering that I had not bade you farewell. But now I go to watch
for her until she emerges from her door, or until her followers
slumber . . . Oh, the obstacles shall be as nothing. Only rejoice
with me that I am to meet her again at last!"

But Everychild's heart became heavy. "And we must part?" he asked in a
low voice. "Please do not say so! We, who have become like
brothers . . . is there no other way?"

"There is no other way," replied the giant. "Do not doubt that I too
shall grieve because of our parting; but after searching for her in
vain all these years . . ."

But Everychild, after a moment's reflection, cried out resolutely,
"There is another way. I shall go with you! And after you have found
her, who knows----"

The giant was now happy indeed. "You will go with me?" he cried; "you
will leave all that makes you happy here and go with me into possible
perils? Then make haste--oh, make haste, that we may be on our way."

And speaking thus the giant rushed eagerly from the room.

For a moment Everychild stood lost in thought. It was the Masked Lady
who aroused him. "It will be but a short journey," she said; and it
seemed to Everychild that she spoke sadly. "Go with him, and be sure
you shall make a speedy return."

He would have gone, then. Already he was putting great energy into his
feet, that he might overtake the giant. But the Masked Lady detained
him.

"A word," she said