ough
the idiot was plainly not intimidated, he never met that gaze for more
than a second or two. Nevertheless he came on, walking now on his knees,
and at last stretched out a hand to touch the boy he so curiously
desired for a playmate.

That broke the spell. The Wonder drew back quickly--he never allowed one
to touch him--got up and climbed two or three steps higher up the base
of the monument. "Send him away," he said to me.

"That'll do," I said threateningly to the idiot, and at the sound of my
voice and the gesture of my hand, he blenched, yelped, rolled over away
from me, and then got to his feet and shambled off for several yards
before stopping to regard us once more with his pacificatory, disgusting
ogle.

"Send him away," repeated the Wonder, as I hesitated, and I rose to my
feet and pretended to pick up a stone.

That was enough. The idiot yelped again and made off. This time he did
not stop, though he looked over his shoulder several times as he
lolloped away among the low gorse, to which look I replied always with
the threat of an imaginary stone.

The Wonder made no comment on the incident as we walked home. He had
shown no sign of fear. It occurred to me that my guardianship of him was
merely a convenience, not a protection from any danger.

IV

As time went on it became increasingly clear to me that my chance of
obtaining the Wonder's confidence was becoming more and more remote.

At first he had replied to my questions; usually, it is true, by no more
than an inclination of his head, but he soon ceased to make even this
acknowledgment of my presence.

So I fell by degrees into a persistent habit of silence, admitted my
submission by obtruding neither remark nor question upon my constant
companion, and gave up my intention of using the Wonder as a means to
gratify my curiosity concerning the problem of existence.

Once or twice I saw Crashaw at a distance. He undoubtedly recognised the
Wonder, and I think he would have liked to come up and rebuke
him--perhaps me, also; but probably he lacked the courage. He would
hover within sight of us for a few minutes, scowling, and then stalk
away. He gave me the impression of being a dangerous man, a thwarted
fanatic, brooding over his defeat. If I had been Mrs. Stott, I should
have feared the intrusion of Crashaw more than the foolish overtures of
the Harrison idiot. But there was, of course, the Wonder's compelling
power to be reckoned with, in t