ered. For to him that chance meeting came as a
surprise and prompted him to a sudden approach he might not have
ventured on maturer consideration; to her it seemed to carry on the
experience of the day and, unguessed by Raymond, brought less amazement
than he imagined. She was a fatalist--perhaps, had always been so, as
her mother before her; yet she knew it not. They had passed and repassed
many times during the vanished years; but since the moment that she had
dismissed him with scorn and hoped her child would live to insult his
grave, they had never spoken.

He inquired now if he might address her.

"May I say a few words to you?" he asked.

Not knowing what was in her mind, he felt surprised at her conventional
reply.

"I suppose so, if you wish to do so."

Her voice seemed to roll back time. Yet he guessed her to be less
indifferent than her words implied.

He dismounted and walked beside her.

"I dare say you can understand a little what I feel, when I see that
child run away whenever he sets eyes on me," he began; but she did not
help him. His voice to her ear was changed. It had grown deeper and
hardened. It was more monotonous and did not rise and fall as swiftly as
of old.

"I don't know at all what you feel about him. I didn't know that you
felt anything about him."

This was a false note and he felt pained.

"Indeed, Sabina, you know very well I want his friendship--I need it
even. Before anything I wish to befriend him."

"You can't help him. He's a very affectionate child and loves me dearly.
You wouldn't understand him. He's all heart."

He marked now the great change in Sabina. Her voice was cold and
indifferent. But a cynic fate willed this mood. Had she not spent the
day at West Haven and stood in the old store, it is possible she might
have listened to him in another spirit.

"I know he's a clever boy, with plenty of charm about him. And I do
think, whatever you may feel, Sabina, it is doubtfully wise of you to
stand between him and me."

"If you fancy that, it is a good thing you spoke," she answered.
"Because nothing further from the truth could be. I don't stand between
him and you. I've never influenced him against you. He's heard nothing
but the fact that you're his father from me. I've been careful to leave
it at that, and I've never answered more than the truth to his many
questions."

"It is a very great sorrow to me, and it will largely ruin my life if I
cannot win his fr