day she burst into the room
calling, "Oh, Jenkins San! Come quick! See what I have found."

Her find proved to be a youthful American about twenty-four, whom she
introduced as Page Hanaford.

From the moment the tall young man stood before me, hat in hand, a
wistful something in his gray eyes, I had to crush a sudden desire to
lay my hand on his shoulder and call him son. It would have been against
my principles to be so outspokenly sentimental, but his light hair waved
back from a boyish face pallid with illness and the playful curve of
his mouth touched me. If I had been Jane Gray I should have cried over
him. From the forced smile to the button hanging loose on his vest there
was a silent appeal. All the mother in me was aroused and mentally I had
to give myself a good slap to meet the situation with dignity.

I asked the young man to come into the sitting-room and we soon heard
the story he had to tell.

He said his home had been in Texas. His father, an oil operator and
supposed to be very rich, died a bankrupt. He was the only member of the
family left, and he had recently started to the Far East to begin making
his fortune. By chance he had drifted into Hijiyama. He understood there
was a demand for teachers here. He was quite sure he could teach; but he
would have to go slow at first, for he was just recovering from a slight
illness.

"Have you been ill a long time?" I asked, striving to keep my fast
rising sympathy in hand.

"Y-es; no," was the uncertain reply. "You see, I don't quite remember.
Time seems to have run away from me."

"Were you ill before you left America, or after you sailed?" I inquired
with increasing interest.

The boy paled, flushed, then stammered out his answer. "I--I--I'm
sorry, but really I can't tell you. The beastly thing seems to have left
me a bit hazy."

A bit hazy indeed! It was as plain as the marks of his severe illness
that he was evading my question. His hands trembled so he could hardly
hold the cup of tea I gave him, so I pursued my inquiries no further. As
I was hostess to my guests, whoever they might be, I asked neither for
credentials nor the right to judge them, for their temptations had not
been mine.

After a long pause he slowly tried again to tell his story. "I was
seeking employment when Miss Gray found me. My! but I was glad to see
some one who seemed like home. The way she walked right up to me and
said, 'Why, howdy do. I'm glad to see you. Now come