thankful for the first point gained.

They stood and stared and called the child, but she would not go, and we
would not force her. Then they went away, and we were left for an hour
in that curious quiet which comes before a storm. Our poor little girl
was frightened. "Oh, if they come again, hide me!" she begged. One saw
it was almost too much for her, high-spirited child though she is.

The next was worse. A great crowd gathered on the verandah, and an
evil-faced woman, who seemed to have some sort of power over Pearl-eyes,
fiercely demanded her back. When we refused to make her go, the
evil-faced woman, whose very glance sent a tremble through the little
one, declared that Pearl-eyes must say out loud that she would not go
with her, "Out loud so that all should hear." But the poor little thing
was dumb with fear. She just stood and looked, and shivered. We could
not persuade her to say a word.

Star was hovering near. She had been through it all herself before, and
her face was anxious, and our hearts were, I know. It is impossible to
describe such a half-hour's life to you; it has to be lived through to
be understood. The clamour and excitement, and the feeling of how much
hangs on the word of a child who does not properly understand what she
is accepting or refusing. The tension is terrible.

I dared not go near her lest they should think I was bewitching her. Any
movement on my part towards her would have been the signal for a rush
on theirs; but I signed to Star to take her away for a moment. The
bewilderment on the poor little face was frightening me. One more look
up at that woman, one more pull at the strained cord, and to their
question, "Will you come?" she might as likely say yes as no.

Star carried her off. Once out of reach of those eyes, the words came
fast enough. Star told me she clung to her and sobbed, "Oh, if I say no,
she will catch me and punish me dreadfully afterwards! She will! I know
she will!" And she showed cuts in the soft brown skin where she had been
punished before; but Star soothed her and brought her back, and she
stood--such a little girl--before them all. "I won't! I won't!" she
cried, and she turned and ran back with Star. And the crowd went off,
and I was glad to see the last of that fearful face, with its evil,
cruel eyes.

But they said they would write to the mother, who had given her to them.
We noted this--the second point we should have to prove if they lodged a
suit