M, that I
should."

Then Peter had an idea. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and
showed that it was half full of foreign stamps.

"Look here," he said, "let's show him these--"

Bobbie looked and saw that the stranger had dried his eyes with her
handkerchief. So she said: "All right."

They showed him an Italian stamp, and pointed from him to it and back
again, and made signs of question with their eyebrows. He shook his
head. Then they showed him a Norwegian stamp--the common blue kind it
was--and again he signed No. Then they showed him a Spanish one, and
at that he took the envelope from Peter's hand and searched among the
stamps with a hand that trembled. The hand that he reached out at last,
with a gesture as of one answering a question, contained a RUSSIAN
stamp.

"He's Russian," cried Peter, "or else he's like 'the man who was'--in
Kipling, you know."

The train from Maidbridge was signalled.

"I'll stay with him till you bring Mother in," said Bobbie.

"You're not afraid, Missie?"

"Oh, no," said Bobbie, looking at the stranger, as she might have looked
at a strange dog of doubtful temper. "You wouldn't hurt me, would you?"

She smiled at him, and he smiled back, a queer crooked smile. And then
he coughed again. And the heavy rattling swish of the incoming train
swept past, and the Station Master and Peter and Phyllis went out to
meet it. Bobbie was still holding the stranger's hand when they came
back with Mother.

The Russian rose and bowed very ceremoniously.

Then Mother spoke in French, and he replied, haltingly at first, but
presently in longer and longer sentences.

The children, watching his face and Mother's, knew that he was telling
her things that made her angry and pitying, and sorry and indignant all
at once.

"Well, Mum, what's it all about?" The Station Master could not restrain
his curiosity any longer.

"Oh," said Mother, "it's all right. He's a Russian, and he's lost his
ticket. And I'm afraid he's very ill. If you don't mind, I'll take him
home with me now. He's really quite worn out. I'll run down and tell you
all about him to-morrow."

"I hope you won't find you're taking home a frozen viper," said the
Station Master, doubtfully.

"Oh, no," Mother said brightly, and she smiled; "I'm quite sure I'm
not. Why, he's a great man in his own country, writes books--beautiful
books--I've read some of them; but I'll tell you all about it
to-morrow."

She spoke again i