ered, and held the poor creatures for whom there was no longer
any hope. It was as if now a turn of her head could have revealed a
white-capped nurse moving silently, deftly bringing comfort. Her hands
had become quite warm again; she passed one of them over her brow as
if this motion might have dispelled some strange vision.

The big dog, Maigan, came to her and laid his sharp head and pointed
cold muzzle on her lap, and she stroked it, mechanically. This, at any
rate, was something genuine and friendly that had come to her. Again
and again she passed her hand over the rough neck and head. At this,
however, something within her broke again and her head fell once more
on her arms as she sobbed,--sobbed as if her heart would break.

"I--I'm afraid you must have gone through a good deal of--of
unhappiness," faltered the man, anxiously. "It--it's really too bad
and I'd give anything if I could...."

But the girl lifted up her hand, as if to check his words. What right
had a man who was guilty of such conduct to begin proffering a
repentance that was unavailing, nay, contemptible? Did he think that a
few halting words could atone for his cruelty, could dispel the evil
he had wrought?

At this he kept silent again, during long minutes, appalled as men
always are at the first sight of a woman's tears. He felt utterly
helpless to console or advise, and was becoming more and more
bewildered at this interruption of his lonely and quiet life. Since
she didn't want him to speak he would hold his tongue. If she hadn't
looked so dreadfully unhappy he would have deemed her an infernal
nuisance and hurried her departure. But in this case how could a
fellow be brutal to a poor thing that wailed like a child, that seemed
weaker than one and more in need of gentle care?

Soon she rose from the table, determinedly, with some of her energy
renewed by the food and hot drink.

"If you please, let us go now," she told him, firmly.

"I'm entirely at your service," he answered. "I think you had better
let me lend you a cap. That thing you have on your head can hardly
keep your ears from freezing. I have a new one that's never been worn.
Wait a moment."

His search was soon rewarded. She had kept on but her inefficient
little New York hat with its faded buds and wrinkled leaves and now
tried to remove it. Her hands trembled, however, and the strain of
travel had been hard. All at once, as she pulled away, her coiled hair
escaped all re