ith an air of patience and pitying
gentleness, then he said with perfect coolness--

"You are quite right, Sigurd! You are always right, I am sure. Come up
here and see me; I won't hurt you! Come along!"

The friendly tone and gentle manner appeared to soothe the unhappy
dwarf, for he stared doubtfully, then smiled,--and finally, as though
acting under a spell, he took up an oar and propelled himself skillfully
enough to the gangway, where Errington let down the ladder and with his
own hand assisted his visitor to mount, not forgetting to fasten the
boat safely to the steps as he did so. Once on deck, Sigurd gazed about
him perplexedly. He had brought his bunch of pansies with him, and he
fingered their soft leaves thoughtfully. Suddenly his eyes flashed.

"You are alone here?" he asked abruptly.

Fearing to scare his strange guest by the mention of his companions,
Errington answered simply--"Yes, quite alone just now, Sigurd."

Sigurd took a step closer towards him. "Are you not afraid?" he said in
an awe-struck, solemn voice.

Sir Philip smiled. "I never was afraid of anything in my life!" he
answered.

The dwarf eyed him keenly. "You are not afraid," he went on, "that I
shall kill you?"

"Not in the least," returned Errington calmly. "You would not do
anything so foolish, my friend."

Sigurd laughed. "Ha ha! You call me 'friend.' You think that word a
safeguard! I tell you, no! There are no friends now; the world is a
great field of battle,--each man fights the other. There is no
peace,--none anywhere! The wind fights with the forests; you can hear
them slashing and slaying all night long--when it _is_ night--the long,
long night! The sun fights with the sky, the light with the dark, and
life with death. It is all a bitter quarrel; none are satisfied, none
shall know friendship any more; it is too late! We cannot be friends!"

"Well, have it your own way," said Philip good-naturedly, wishing that
Lorimer were awake to interview this strange specimen of human wit gone
astray; "we'll fight if you like. Anything to please you!"

"We _are_ fighting," said Sigurd with intense passion in his voice. "You
may not know it; but I know it! I have felt the thrust of your sword; it
has crossed mine. Stay!" and his eyes grew vague and dreamy. "Why was I
sent to seek you out--let me think--let me think!"

And he seated himself forlornly on one of the deck chairs and seemed
painfully endeavoring to put his scattered id