knew very little of homes, and nothing which had

ving it, hiding it,

wkward and dangerous one. Certain authorities had warned Winn that though, if the results were satisfactory, it would certainly be counted in his favor, should anything go wrong no he

ome occult and wholly unexpressed way Winn was conscious that he was strongly drawn to him. Winn offered him the job, and even consented, when he was on

reat gentleness, and equal courage. She neither cried nor made

ight accompany him. The extraordinary thing that Mrs. Drummond said to Winn was

ld never dream of taking a man w

the boy would get on without the mission, but he also seemed to be influenced by some absurd idea that Winn was to be indefinitely trusted, so that h

nient spot, crossing the mountains of Tibet during a blizzard. The rest of the party said with some truth that they must go forward or perish. Winn sent them on to the next settlement, keeping ba

like a mother, and say the silliest, gentlest things. No one was there to see or hear him, and the boy was so ill that he wouldn't be likely to remember afterwards. He did remember, however, he

Winn managed, though the exact means were never specified, to drag Lionel on a sle

rs. Drummond would say to him when they got back to England, but she let him down quite easily; she gave him no thanks,

ding. None of the Staines went in much for making friends, and

rrived in the midst of an altercation as to who

st son, whose name had been coupled with that of a lady whose professional aptitudes were described as those of a manicurist. There was a moment when mur

? Sir Peter seemed to be laboring under the delusion that he had been weakly favorable to his son's inclinations, and that any other father woul

's shop," she observed musingly. "I

chemist's shop; and described to the horror of the butler, who had entered

either of them types likely to do credit to the family. Winn replied that, as far as that went, bad clothes and good morals did not always go togethe

ous to everybody

was again discussed, but in a veiled way so as

lk, most of which was conducted in silence; finally, however, they

n Miss Fanshawe; it must be

e's such a little thing." He paused a moment. "I hope it's all right," he said, "marrying her. It seems pretty rough on them sometimes, I think-don't you-I fancy she's delicate and all that." Lionel nodded. "It does seem rather beastly," he admitted, "their having to have a hard time, I mean-but if they care for you-I suppose it works out all right." Winn paid no

d," Lionel said suddenly.

have seen much of women. I hope she won't expect me to talk a lot or anything of t

e off," Li

e ashes out of their pipe

retched behind them, and before them soft, l

r and with delicate, innumerable leaf shadows, laid upon

and civilized, immensely lived on and understood. None of it ha

odden alien heights; they felt the solemn vastness of the interminable, flawless snows. They kept their eyes away from each other-but they knew what each other was feeli

s-things together again, I mean-I should like to think we could." Winn gave him a quick look and moved hastily ahe