the answer was quick, with almost a shadow like deep longing on his
face:

"Oh, no, I have no one. I'm all alone. And sometimes if it were not for
mother's letters it would seem a great way from home."

The girl did not know why it was so pleasant to know this, and why her
heart went out in instant sympathy for him.

"O-oo!" she said gently. "Tell me about your mother, please!"

And so he told her, as he walked beside her, of his invalid mother whose
frail body and its needs bound her to a couch in her old New England
home, helpless and carefully tended by a devoted nurse whom she loved
and who loved her. Her great spirit had risen to the sacrifice of
sending her only son out to the desert on his chosen commission.

They had been climbing a long sloping hill, and at the climax of the
story had reached the top and could look abroad again over a wide
expanse of country. It seemed to Hazel's city bred eyes as though the
kingdoms of the whole world lay spread before her awed gaze. A brilliant
sunset was spreading a great silver light behind the purple mountains in
the west, red and blue in flaming lavishness, with billows of white
clouds floating above, and over that in sharp contrast the sky was
velvet black with storm. To the south the rain was falling in a
brilliant shower like yellow gold, and to the east two more patches of
rain were rosy pink as petals of some wondrous flowers, and arching over
them a half rainbow. Turning slightly towards the north one saw the rain
falling from dark blue clouds in great streaks of white light.

"Oh-oo!" breathed the girl; "how wonderful! I never saw anything like
that before."

But the missionary had no time for answer. He began quickly to unstrap
the canvas from behind the saddle, watching the clouds as he did so.

"We are going to get a wetting, I'm afraid," he said and looked
anxiously at his companion.

VI

CAMP

It came indeed before he was quite ready for it, but he managed to throw
the canvas over horse and lady, bidding her hold it on one side while
he, standing close under the extemporized tent, held the other side,
leaving an opening in front for air, and so they managed to keep
tolerably dry, while two storms met overhead and poured down a torrent
upon them.

The girl laughed out merrily as the first great splashes struck her
face, then retreated into the shelter as she was bidden and sat quietly
watching, and wondering over it all.

Here was she,