r had answered his prayer and sent her to him! What miracle
of joy! A thrill of tenderness passed through him and he pressed his
hands over his closed eyes in a kind of ecstasy.

What foolishness! Dreams, of course! He tried to sober himself but he
could not keep from thinking how it would seem to have this lovely girl
enthroned in his little shack, ready to share his joys and comfort his
sorrows; to be beloved and guarded and tenderly cared for by him.

A stir of the old blanket and a softly drawn sigh brought this delicious
reverie to a close, and himself to his feet flushing cold and hot at
thought of facing her awake.

She had turned over towards him slightly, her cheeks flushed with sleep.
One hand was thrown back over her head, and the sun caught and flashed
the sparkle of jewels into his eyes, great glory-clear gems like drops
of morning dew when the sun is new upon them, and the flash of the
jewels told him once more what he had known before, that here was a
daughter of another world than his. They seemed to hurt him as he
looked, those costly gems, for they pierced to his heart and told him
they were set on a wall of separation which might rise forever between
her and himself.

Then suddenly he came to himself and was the missionary again, with his
senses all on the alert, and a keen realization that it was high noon
and his patient was waking up. He must have slept himself although he
thought he had been broad awake all the time. The hour had come for
action and he must put aside the foolish thoughts that had crowded in
when his weary brain was unable to cope with the cool facts of life. Of
course all this was stuff and nonsense that he had been dreaming. He
must do his duty by this needy one now.

Stepping softly he brought a cup of water that he had placed in the
shade to keep cool, and stood beside the girl, speaking quietly, as
though he had been her nurse for years.

"Wouldn't you like a drink of water?" he asked.

The girl opened her eyes and looked up at him bewildered.

"Oh, yes," she said eagerly, though her voice was very weak. "Oh,
yes,--I'm so thirsty.--I thought we never would get anywhere!"

She let him lift her head, and drank eagerly, then sank back exhausted
and closed her eyes. He almost thought she was going to sleep again.

"Wouldn't you like something to eat?" he asked. "Dinner is almost ready.
Do you think you can sit up to eat or would you rather lie still?"

"Dinner!" she sa