, and all the love of his strong nature rose to protect her from
the sorrow which she would have to bear some time but--not yet! Oh!
not yet! Then he turned quickly and went out of doors.

There had been nights in this woodlander's life when no roof could
cover him. When even the forest seemed to suffocate, and when he had
found relief only upon the bald bare top of that rocky height which
crowned the island. On such nights he had gone out early and come home
with the daybreak, and none had known of his absence, save, now and
then, the faithful Angelique, who knew the master's story but kept it
to herself.

Margot had never guessed of these midnight expeditions, nor understood
the peculiar love and veneration her guardian had for that mountain
top. She better loved the depths of the wonderful forest, with its
flowers and ferns, and its furred or feathered creatures. She was
dreaming of these, the next morning, when her uncle's cheery whistle
called her to get up.

A cold plunge, a swift dressing, and she was with him, seeing no
signs of either illness or sorrow in his genial face, and eager with
plans for the coming day. All her days were delightful, but this would
be best of all.

"To think, uncle dear, that somebody else has come at last to see our
island! why, there's so much to show him I can hardly wait, nor know
where best to begin."

"Suppose, Miss Impatience, we begin with breakfast? Here comes Adrian.
Ask his opinion."

"Never was so hungry in my life!" agreed that youth, as he came
hastily forward to bid them both good-morning. "I mean--not since
last night. I wonder if a fellow that's been half-starved, or
three-quarters even, will ever get his appetite down to normal again?
It seems to me I could eat a whole wild animal at a sitting!"

"So you shall, boy. So you shall!" cried Angelique, who now came in
carrying a great dish of browned and smoking fish. This she placed at
her master's end of the table and flanked it with another platter of
daintily crisped potatoes. There were heaps of delicate biscuits, with
coffee and cakes galore; enough, the visitor thought, to satisfy even
his own extravagant hunger, and again he wondered at such fare in such
a wilderness.

"Why, this might be a hotel table!" he exclaimed, in unfeigned
pleasure. "Not much like lumberman's fare: salt pork, bad bread,
molasses-sweetened tea, and the everlasting beans. I hope I shall
never have to look another bean in the face! B