niel. He felt the
emaciated body, the timidly quivering figure, and a distant memory sunk
its claws deep into his breast. The mouth of the mask seemed to speak;
the cheeks and forehead shone with a brilliant whiteness. And as he
turned his eyes away there was a little elf dancing over him; and this
little elf aroused a guilty unrest in his heart.

VII

Philippina would not permit little Agnes to play with other children.

One day the child went out on to the square, and stood and watched some
other children playing a game known as "Tailor, lend me the scissors."
She was much pleased at the sight of them, as they ran from tree to tree
and laughed. She would have been only too happy to join them, but no one
thought of asking the pale, shy little creature to take part.
Philippina, seeing her, rushed out like a fury, and cried in her very
meanest voice: "You come back here in the house, or I'll maul you until
your teeth will rattle in your mouth for three days to come!"

Philippina also disliked to have Jordan pay any attention to Agnes. If
he did not notice that he was making her angry by talking with the
child, she would begin to sing, first gently, and then more and more
loudly. If this did not drive the old man away, she would unload some
terrific abuse on him, and keep at it until he would get up, sigh, and
leave. He did not dare antagonise her, for if he did, she would penalise
him by giving him poor food and reduced portions. And he suffered
greatly from hunger. He was making only a few pennies a week, and had to
save every bit of it, if possible, so as to defray the expenses he was
incurring while working on his invention.

He had unbounded faith in his invention; his credulity became stronger
and stronger as the months rolled by. He could not be discouraged by
seeming failure. He was convinced, on the contrary, that each failure
merely brought him so much nearer the desired goal.

He said to Philippina: "Why is it that you object to my playing once in
a while with my little grand-daughter? It gives me so much pleasure; it
diverts me; it takes my mind off of my troubles."

"Crazy nonsense," replied Philippina. "Agnes has had trouble enough with
her father. Her grandfather? whew! That beats me!"

Another time the old man said: "Suppose we make an agreement: let me
have the child a half-hour each day, and in return for that I'll run
your errands down town."

Philippina: "I