silver in the light of the setting
sun. Twilight had fallen with unexpected swiftness. Here and there a
light flashed from the isolated farmhouses. On the darkening horizon,
a warm glow was reflected in the clouds from the distant town.

The boy, when he had settled down to his vigil, had been alone. From
over the brow of the hill, however, had come a few minutes ago a man,
dressed in loose shooting clothes, and with a gun under his arm. He
came to a standstill by the side of the boy, and stood there watching
him for several moments, with a certain faintly amused curiosity
shining out of his somewhat supercilious gray eyes. The newcomer was
obviously a person of breeding and culture--the sort of person who
assumes without question the title of "Gentleman." The boy wore
ready-made clothes and hobnailed boots. They remained within a few
feet of one another for several moments, without speech.

"My young friend," the newcomer said at last, "you will be late for
your tea, or whatever name is given to your evening meal. Did you not
hear the bell? It rang nearly half-an-hour ago."

The boy moved his head slightly, but made no attempt to rise.

"It does not matter. I am not hungry."

The newcomer leaned his gun against the rock, and drawing a pipe from
the pocket of his shooting-coat, commenced leisurely to fill it. Every
now and then he glanced at the boy, who seemed once more to have
become unconscious of his presence. He struck a match and lit the
tobacco, stooping down for a moment to escape the slight evening
breeze. Then he threw the match away, and lounged against the
lichen-covered fragment of stone.

"I wonder," he remarked, "why, when you have the whole day in which to
come and look at this magnificent view, you should choose to come just
at the hour when it has practically been swallowed up."

The boy lifted his head for the first time. His face was a little
long, his features irregular but not displeasing, his deep-set eyes
seemed unnaturally bright. His cheeks were sunken, his forehead
unusually prominent. The whole effect of his personality was a little
curious. If he had no claims to be considered good-looking, his face
was at least a striking one.

[Illustration: He came to a standstill by the side of the boy.]

"I come at this hour," he said slowly, "because the view does not
attract me so much at any other time. It is only when the twilight
falls that one can see--properly."

The newcomer took his