Explorers of the Dawn

rridge; and, later, our three small bodies arrayed in short surplices, and the long service in the Cathedral. The Seraph was the very smallest boy in the cho

little velvet bag, his tiny surplice jauntily bobbing, and the back o

a voice li

ing on the same prayer-book with Margery. I swelled my chest beneath my surplice and chanted my very loudest in

at nodded; she smiled; I smiled ecstatically back at her; and so two childi

y voice-"When you is in love, first you burns yike a furnace, an'

ntemptuously, had he treated my confidence, made as man

er?" questioned Mrs.

raph, meekly, "you catch it

sank back in her c

remble for your future. You are not the

ur with me. I wish to have a talk with you. David and Alexander, yo

only her eye was riveted upon me, but every glittering eye of every st

into my reluctant heart, the admonition which I could n

tened. Silence abounded. On tiptoe I made my way to the kitchen. It was clean and empty. I noi

gel?" I dem

the wrong way, and then looking at his fingers, "I fin

sped lightly along the passage between the houses, cro

sunshine, the iridescent spray of the fountain, and th

swelled with disappointment a

hat he would never let the grass grow under his feet till he had

y. By her side sauntered the traitorous Angel, his head bent toward her tenderly, and, most sickening of all, pushing before him, with an

garden, and, pushing myself between them, I laid my hand masterfully on the handle of the "pram," be

l began to hammer my

at!" he snarled.

agically. "She said I

yelled Angel. "

was silent there. Then, with a scornful little kick at me, she s

head, and, with a sob in my throat, turned

r own yard Angel ca

ght you for her. Like knights of old, you know. We could go down to the coal cellar, and h

somehow, the thought of bloodshed eased my pain a little. So, half-rel

obwebs trailed, spectre-like from the beams, and a fai

ds for shields, we faced each other, uttering our respective battle cries in muffled tones. Angel had put a battered

delivered-and received-stunning blows. Du

screaming woman! Now Mary Ellen, true to the p

he missus'll put a tin ear on ye, if she catches ye in the cellar in yer collars an' all!" Imperiou

y," I explained, with as much dignity as I co

ary Ellen, sternly. "Lord! To see the cinders in yer hair, an' the soot in yer ea

y El-len, you're hurting me! T

' aitch other wid pokers for the sake av a bit girl that's not worth a tinker's curse to ye! Now thin-here's a

door and ate our pudding. It was cold, cla

Bishop's garden, and beyond loomed the Cathedral

uld not help fancying that Jane, touched by remorse, was

ischievously-"let's go 'round and s

nsatiable desire to hear her speak o

on that hazy Sunday afternoon. The blinds in the Bishop's stud

bath at the fountain rim. We heard a low murmur of voices. A glint of Jane's white frock could be

in her slim white arms was-The Seraph! The wretched D

hat was being said. Jane spoke

l things, Seraph. I j

then, The Seraph said in his

lo

tiny, ecst

she begged,

ly, "Hot blood-told blood-wed bloo

uealed in fea

she urged

blood-ephelant blood-caterpillar blood-ole witch blood"-then, aft

, that this delicately nurtured young person craved, good red gore, a

ou and me play together always. And you should be Dorot

e sped along the pebbled drive, nor s

ees, in case Mrs. Handsomebody should invade our privacy, and played a rollicking game of p

nant!" was Captain Angel's w

ive, The Seraph swaggered up. He sto

ly, "you'll make a nice bishop, you will

ll," replied The Seraph, condescendingly. "You se