The Window-Gazer

professor reach

d run

ast," he mused. "Perhaps," with rising dismay

ves. There was a small, dark landing between them and a steep, ladderlike stair led directly down into the living-room. There was no one there; neither was there anyone in the small kitchen at the back. Benis Spence decided that this second room was a kitchen because it contained a cooking stove. Otherwise he would not have recognized it, Aunt Caroline's idea of a kitchen

he could at least wash. With a shrug he turned away from the half cleared table and, in the doorway, almost ran into the arms

n, in a gentle, gurgling voice. "Let m

," said th

he smooth and biting sentences which his mind had held in readiness for this moment faded and died

ld gentleman. "But the exact time of your coming was somewhat indefinite. S

nderstood to say th

" he murmured, waving hi

s tone not calculated to encourage rhapsody. The old gent

bathroom you will find just down the trail and behind those

slightly, otherwise he would have passed on much faster. His instinct

stuffing his mouth with a towel, he could releas

nicety the climax of this absurd adventure. What an utter fool, what an unbelievable idiot he had made of h

tiny stream whose musical flowing had called to him through his window. Around, and somewhat back beneath tall sentinel trees, crept the bushes and bracken of the mountain; but, above, the foliage opened and the sun shone in, turning the brown-green water of the pool to gold. With a sigh of pure delight

e of quietude again. The pool seemed no longer lovely. Very gingerly he completed such ablutions as were

or the first time since he had sat upon a keg in the fog he forgot him-self and his foolishness, his hunger, his aching nerves, his smarting pride, everything! The beauty before him filled his heart and mind, leaving not a cranny anywhere for lesser things. Blue sea, blue sky, blue mountains, blue smoke that

omething-something so fresh, so penetrat

s Spence, unconscious

al voice beside him. "It smells

's like-honey and wine in the wilderness! You didn't tell me it would be l

the girl. "It's different for everyone. I've known peop

ocabulary) the famished professor wheeled so quickly that his kne

ng to eat," she

seemed not quite so impossible as he had thought. The grace of early spring lay upon it and all around. True, it was small and unpainted and in bad repair, but its smallness and its brownness seemed not out of keeping with the mountain-s

ight. There was a fireplace, for instance, a real fireplace of cobble-stones, for use, not ornament; a long table stood in the middle of the room, an old fashioned sofa sprawl

raging of all, there was

ss Farr. "It is the one thing we can be

e notice that the comfort of the place was more apparent than real. The table tipped whenever you touched it. The chair upon which he sat had lost an original leg and didn't take kindly to its substitute. The china was thick and chipped. The w

tedly the less he bothered himself about that question the better. This young person was probably

, she wouldn't say it-she would look it, which was worse ... he had come away for a rest cure and a rest cure he intended to have ... with a groan he thought of the pictures he had formed of this place

dered. I should like to know, though," she continued with some warmth of interest, "if you really came just to observe Indians. Father might think of a variety of attractions. Health?-any-thing from gout to tuberculosis. Fish?-f

many activities," he said,

"most" made the professor feel uncomfortable. Was it possible that this young girl c

wanted to get away for rest and study in a congenial environment. Still, I will admit that I might not have inquired

less, my grandsire drew a long bow at the battle

home. I thought that if I could get away-You see, before the war, I was gathering material for a book on primitive psychology and when I came back I found some of the keenness gone." He smiled grim

augh, but he had to admit that her l

dren (father is certain to have called the Indians his 'children'!). Unfortunately, the Indians detest father. They're half afraid of him, too. I don't

e no Indians

nk they are just what you are looking for. But both in Vancouver and Victoria you can

lf-Is he not someth

suppose

etters contained seemed

s were all righ

ou

e 'information bureau.' I do not see the actual letters. Th

boarding accom

smile, and her eyes g

g that far. I can't quite see how it

o be a sudd

tually arrived. He certainly expected an interval during which h

ch

of smallpox among the Indians i

I beg you

on of your feelings. It may be the only satisfaction, yo

est

Li Ho to take you

it. It was the obvious answer, the only sensible answer, the a

ed. He was, so he had said

s deprecating gaze

possibly wa

. I like it here. And

begun to gather in her

mped this morning. Is there a

would make anyone with a spark of pride want to go away at once. The professor told himself this. Besides, his only

wrong-" the cold incredulity

, most completely of all, had he forgotten the fate of the man-who-didn't-take-care-of-himself. Therefore it was with something of surprise that he found himself crumpled up upon the floo

a mo

waited, setting his teeth. Next moment he set them still harder, for Li Ho and the g

had sciatica?" asked M

unnecessar

e seen it before. And if you had no more sense tha

ked all

It's melted

lized, af

afterwards. What caused it

tica? No-

s a slig

e Spence. He lied promptly-too promptly. Desire Farr was an

ith sudden illumination, "is probably what you ran awa

rap

he tre

the tablets

I'll ge

t he had lain upon worse. Li Ho was not more unhandy than many an orderly. And the

thin his eyes relax did his sel

tter," she said. "You'll have to stay. It

ately he thought that a fit mi

here," she went on thoug

tand it upsetting you. But he-h

planations. You'll see things for your-self, perhaps. And now I'll

not overburdened with sympathy, his strangely

nd came-the high, thin sound of a voice shaking with weakness or rage. Then the cool tones of his absent nurse, then the voice again-certainly a most unpleasant voice-and the crashing sound of someth

e, with resignation, "that