to shut a sharp ray of afternoon sunlight from her eyes. She sat
there and looked down upon her shabby shoes, her cheap gloves, her coarse
garments, and honored him for the honor he was giving her in this attire.
She had learned by sharp experience that such respect to one in her
station was not common. As he came back, he stood a moment looking down
upon her. She saw his eye rest with recognition upon the hat she wore, and
her pale cheeks turned pink.

"I don't know what you will think of my keeping this," she said shyly,
putting her hand to the hat, "but it seemed really necessary at the time,
and I haven't dared spend the money for a new one yet. I thought perhaps
you would forgive me, and let me pay you for it some time later."

"Don't speak of it," he broke in, in a low voice. "I am so glad you could
use it at all. It would have been a comfort to me if I had known where it
was. I had not even missed it, because at this time of year I have very
little use for it. It is my travelling hat."

He looked at her again as though the sight of her was good to him, and his
gaze made her quite forget the words she had planned to say.

"I am so glad I have found you!" he went on. "You have not been out of my
thoughts since I left you that night on the train. I have blamed myself
over and over again for having gone then. I should have found some way to
stand by you. I have not had one easy moment since I saw you last."

His tone was so intense that she could not interrupt him; she could only
sit and listen in wonder, half trembling, to the low-spoken torrent of
feeling that he expressed. She tried to protest, but the look in his face
stopped her. He went on with an earnestness that would not be turned aside
from its purpose.

"I came to Chicago that I might search for you. I could not stand the
suspense any longer. I have been looking for you in every way I could
think of, without openly searching, for that I dared not do lest I might
jeopardize your safety. I was almost in despair when I went to dine with
Mr. Phillips last evening. I felt I could not go home without knowing at
least that you were safe, and now that I have found you, I cannot leave
you until I know at least that you have no further need for help."

She summoned her courage now, and spoke in a voice full of feeling:

"Oh, you must not feel that way. You helped me just when I did not know
what to do, and put me in the way of helping myself. I shall never cea