like yours one is often much nearer than one realizes. You will find
that out quite suddenly one of these days, find that through all your
desert journeying, He has been guiding you, protecting you, surrounding
you with the most loving care. And--because the night was dark--you
never knew it."

"The night is certainly very dark," Stella said with a tremulous smile.
"If it weren't for you I don't think I could ever get through."

"Oh, don't say that!" he said. "If it weren't me it would be someone
else--or possibly a closer vision of Himself. There is always
something--something to which later you will look back and say, 'That
was His lamp in the desert, showing the way.' Don't fret if you can't
pray! I can pray for you. You just keep on being brave and patient! He
understands."

Stella's fingers pressed upon his. "You are good to me, Bernard," she
said. "I shall think of what you say--the next time I am alone in the
night."

His arm held her sustainingly. "And if you're very desolate, child, come
and call me!" he said. "I'm always at hand, always glad to serve you."

She smiled--a difficult smile. "I shall need you more--afterwards," she
said under her breath. And then, as if words had suddenly become
impossible to her, she leaned against him and kissed him.

He gathered her up close, as if she had been a weary child. "God bless
you, my dear!" he said.

CHAPTER VI

THE FIRST GLIMMER

It was from the Colonel himself that Stella heard of Everard's
retirement.

He walked back from the Mess that night with Tommy and asked to see her
for a few minutes alone. He was always kinder to her in his wife's
absence.

She was busy installing the new _ayah_ whom Peter with the air of a
magician who has but to wave his wand had presented to her half an hour
before. The woman was old and bent and closely veiled--so closely that
Stella strongly suspected her disfigurement to be of a very ghastly
nature, but her low voice and capable manner inspired her with
instinctive confidence. She realized with relief from the very outset
that her faithful Peter had not made a mistake. She was sure that the
new-comer had nursed sickly English children before. She went to the
Colonel, leaving the strange woman in charge of her baby and Peter
hovering reassuringly in the background.

His first greeting of her had a touch of diffidence, but when he saw
the weary suffering of her eyes this was swallowed up in pity. He took
her