s and forehead and eyes
and mouth wooingly. Stephen returned the embrace and the kisses, but
remained silent a little longer. Then she found voice:

'I hardly know what to say. Believe me, I should--I shall, do all I can;
but the fact is that I am not in authority. The Doctor has taken him in
charge and will not let anyone go near him: He will not even have a
nurse, but watches and attends to him himself. He says it might be fatal
if anything should occur to agitate him. Why, even I am not allowed to
see him!'

'Haven't you seen him yet at all; ever, ever, Stephen?' asked Pearl, all
her timidity gone. Stephen smiled--a wan smile it was, as she answered:

'I saw him in the water, but it was too far away to distinguish. And it
was only by firelight.'

'Oh yes, I know,' said Pearl; 'Mother and Daddy told me how you had
burned the house down to give him light. Didn't you want to see him more
after that? I should!' Stephen drew the impulsive child closer as she
answered:

'Indeed I did, dear. But I had to think of what was good for him. I
went to his room the next day when he was awake, and the Doctor let me
come in for only a moment.'

'Well! What did you see. Didn't you know him?' She forgot that the
other did not know him from her point of view. But the question went
through Stephen's heart like a sword. What would she not have given to
have known him! What would she not give to know him now! . . . She spoke
mechanically:

'The room was quite dark. It is necessary, the Doctor says, that he be
kept in the dark. I saw only a big beard, partly burned away by the
fire; and a great bandage which covered his eyes!' Pearl's hold relaxed,
she slipped like an eel to the floor and ran over to her mother. Her new
friend was all very well, but no one would do as well as mother when she
was in trouble.

'Oh mother, mother! My Robinson had no beard!' Her mother stroked her
face comfortingly as she answered:

'But, my dear, it is more than two years since you saw him. Two years
and three months, for it was in June that we crossed.' How the date
thrilled Stephen. It verified her assumption.

Mrs. Stonehouse did not notice, but went on:

'His beard would have grown. Men wear beards up in the cold place where
he was.' Pearl kissed her; there was no need for words. Throwing
herself again on Stephen's knees she went on with her questioning:

'But didn't you hear him?'

'I heard very little, dar