Wolf
gladly promised, and for a week of growing expectation the Squire looked
forward to their meeting. Each found the other somewhat changed, in all
but their old affection.

An Wolf was delighted with the little Stephen. Her dainty beauty seemed
to charm him; and the child, seeming to realise what pleasure she was
giving, exercised all her little winning ways. The rector, who knew more
of children than did his, friend, told her as she sat on his knee of a
very interesting person: his own son. The child listened, interested at
first, then enraptured. She asked all kinds of questions; and the
father's eyes brightened as he gladly answered the pretty sympathetic
child, already deep in his heart for her father's sake. He told her
about the boy who was so big and strong, and who could run and leap and
swim and play cricket and football better than any other boy with whom he
played. When, warmed himself by the keen interest of the little girl,
and seeing her beautiful black eyes beginning to glow, he too woke to the
glory of the time; and all the treasured moments of the father's lonely
heart gave out their store. And the other father, thrilled with delight
because of his baby's joy with, underlying all, an added pleasure that
the little Stephen's interest was in sports that were for boys, looked on
approvingly, now and again asking questions himself in furtherance of the
child's wishes.

All the afternoon they sat in the garden, close to the stream that came
out of the rock, and An Wolf told father's tales of his only son. Of the
great cricket match with Castra Puerorum when he had made a hundred not
out. Of the school races when he had won so many prizes. Of the
swimming match in the Islam River when, after he had won the race and had
dressed himself, he went into the water in his clothes to help some
children who had upset a boat. How when Widow Norton's only son could
not be found, he dived into the deep hole of the intake of the milldam of
the great Carstone mills where Wingate the farrier had been drowned. And
how, after diving twice without success, he had insisted on going down
the third time though people had tried to hold him back; and how he had
brought up in his arms the child all white and so near death that they
had to put him in the ashes of the baker's oven before he could be
brought back to life.

When her nurse came to take her to bed, she slid down from her father's
knee and coming over to