, and for a stranger to
speak with the Mother is death. Also if you are a man, how did you reach
us alive?"

"That's a long story," I answered cheerfully. "May we come in? We will
take the risks, we are accustomed to them and hope to be able to do you
a service. I should explain that three of us are white men, two English
and one--American."

"American!" she gasped, "American! What is he like, and how is he
named?"

"Oh!" I replied, for my nerve was giving out and I grew confused, "he is
oldish, with a white beard, rather like Father Christmas in short, and
his Christian name (I didn't dare to give it all at once) is--er--John,
Brother John, we call him. Now I think of it," I added, "he has some
resemblance to your companion there."

I thought that the lady was going to die, and cursed myself for my
awkwardness. She flung her arm about the girl to save herself from
falling--a poor prop, for she, too, looked as though she were going
to die, having understood some, if not all, of my talk. It must be
remembered that this poor young thing had never even seen a white man
before.

"Madam, madam," I expostulated, "I pray you to bear up. After living
through so much sorrow it would be foolish to decease of--joy. May
I call in Brother John? He is a clergyman and might be able to say
something appropriate, which I, who am only a hunter, cannot do."

She gathered herself together, opened her eyes and whispered:

"Send him here."

I pushed open the gate behind which the others were clustered. Catching
Brother John, who by now had recovered somewhat, by the arm, I dragged
him forward. The two stood staring at each other, and the young lady
also looked with wide eyes and open mouth.

"Elizabeth!" said John.

She uttered a faint scream, then with a cry of "_Husband!_" flung
herself upon his breast.

I slipped through the gate and shut it fast.

"I say, Allan," said Stephen, when we had retreated to a little
distance, "did you see her?"

"Her? Who? Which?" I asked.

"The young lady in the white clothes. She is lovely."

"Hold your tongue, you donkey!" I answered. "Is this a time to talk of
female looks?"

Then I went away behind the wall and literally wept for joy. It was one
of the happiest moments of my life, for how seldom things happen as they
should!

Also I wanted to put up a little prayer of my own, a prayer of
thankfulness and for strength and wit to overcome the many dangers that
yet awaited us.