ation at
his end of the table. When they were in the carriage and on the way home
she asked:

"Well, what was it?"

"What was what?" said Lewis, out of a reverie.

"What did that Senhora What's-her-name have to tell you that made you
forget to eat?"

"She was telling me about an old pal of mine," said Lewis. "Did dad ever
tell you where he found me?"

"Yes," said Lady Derl; "he said he found you in the geometrical center
of nowhere, surrounded by equal parts of wilderness."

"That's what he thought," said Lewis; "but there was a home tucked into
the wilderness. It had been my home for a great many years. People had
been kind to me there--Mrs. Leighton; Natalie, my pal; an old darky
named just mammy; and, in a way, the Reverend Orme. After I'd been away
a year, I wrote back. They had gone. I've just found out where they are,
all but the Reverend Orme. I reckon he must be dead."

"And you're going to write?"

"Write?" said Lewis. "No, I'm not going to write. I'm just going." For a
moment they were silent, then he said, "There's something about hearing
of people what were kind to you that makes you feel awfully lonely."

Lady Derl reached out and took his hand. Their hands lay together on his
knee. The drive came to an end, and they had said nothing more. As they
stood under the light of the outer hall Helene turned to Lewis.

"When are you going?"

"To-morrow."

She held up her lips to him.

"Kiss me good-by, Boy."

He kissed her, and for a moment gripped her wrists.

"Helene," he said, "you've been awfully good to me, too. I--I don't
forget."

"You don't forget," repeated Lady Derl. "That's why I kissed you. Don't
be hard on your little pal when you find her. Remember, you've gone a
long way alone."

As Lewis strode away rapidly toward the flat, the fragrance of Helene
clung to him. It clung to him so long that he forgot Vi--forgot even to
leave a note for her explaining his sudden departure. When he reached
Santos, three weeks later, it didn't seem worth while to cable.

As Lewis stepped out of the station at San Paulo, he felt himself in a
dream. He crossed the street into the public gardens and looked back. He
had never seen a station like that. It was beautiful. It had the spirit
of a cathedral raised by some pagan as a shrine to the commercial age.
Had the railroad bred a dreamer?

Several motor-cars for hire lined the curb. Lewis stepped up to one of
the drivers.

"How did they come to b