ot go far?" she asked.

"I shall be close at hand," he answered.

"You are very kind," murmured Lydia, closing her eyes again. "I am sorry
to be so much trouble to you--but it is so important about Ariadne. I am
sorry to be so--you are--very--"

Melton touched the other man's arm and motioned him to the door.

CHAPTER XXXII

AS ARIADNE SAW IT

All that day, the tall, ruddy-haired man in working clothes sat in the
hall, within sight, though not within hearing, of the sick room, playing
with the rosy child, and exerting all his ingenuity to invent quiet
games that they could play there "where Muvver tan see us"; Ariadne soon
learned the reason for staying in one place so constantly. She was very
happy that day. Never in her life had she had so enchanting a
playfellow. He showed her a game to play with clothespins and tin plates
from the kitchen--why, it was so much fun that 'Stashie herself had to
join in as she went past. And he told one story after another without a
sign of the usual grown-up fatigue. They had their lunch there at the
end of the hall, on the little sewing-table with two dolls beside them
and the new man made Ariadne laugh by making believe feed the dolls out
of her doll's tea-set.

It was a little queer, of course, to stay right there all the time, and
to have Muvver staring at them from the bedroom at the other end of the
hall, and not to be allowed to do more than tiptoe in once or twice and
kiss her without saying a word; but when Ariadne grew confused with
trying to think this out, and the little eyes drooped heavily, the new
man picked her up and tucked her away in his arms so comfortably that,
though she meant to reach up and feel if his beard felt as red as it
looked, she fell asleep before she could raise her hand.

When she woke up it was twilight, but she was still in his arms. She
stirred sleepily, and he looked down and smiled at her. His face looked
like an old friend's--as though she had always known it. He had a
friendly smile. She was very happy. Uncle Marius came toward them,
teetering on his toes, the way he always did. "I think it's safe to
leave now, Rankin," he said. "She has fallen into a natural sleep."

The new man stood up, still holding Ariadne. How tall he was! She kept
going up and up, and when she peered over his shoulder she found herself
looking down on Uncle Marius' white head.

"How about to-morrow?" asked the new man.

"We'll see. We'll see," said D