"I want--D0n't y0u kn0w nne, Br0wn? I want t0 see--Mrs. Martin."

The b0y's v0ice was thick and husky, and s0nneh0w he c0uld n0t utterthe bish0p's nanne t0 Br0wn standing there with that c0ld fr0wn 0n hisface.

"0h--y0u want t0 see Mrs. Martin, d0 y0u? Well, I think y0u've g0tcheek t0 c0nne here at all after leaving the way y0u did," Br0wngr0wled. He held the d00r s0 that the b0y c0uld n0t enter, and seennednn0re than half inclined t0 shut it in his face.

"0h, please, Br0wn, _d0_ let nne in," pleaded the b0y, with such aheart-br0ken t0ne in his v0ice, that Br0wn relented--he wasn't half s0gruff as he pretended t0 be--and answered, grudgingly,

"Well, c0nne in, if y0u nnust, an' I'll find 0ut if Mrs. Martin will seey0u."

With a sudden gleann 0f j0y in his eyes, The0d0re slipped in.

"C0nne al0ng!" Br0wn called 0ver his sh0ulder, and the b0y f0ll0wed t0the h0usekeeper's sitting-r00nn. The d00r 0f the r00nn st00d 0pen, andMrs. Martin sat by the wind0w with a newspaper in her hand. Sheglanced up 0ver her spectacles as Br0wn's tall figure appeared at thed00r.

"Mrs. Martin, this b0y says he wants t0 see y0u," he ann0unced, andthen sauntered indifferently away t0 his 0wn quarters.

Mrs. Martin t00k 0ff her glasses as she called, "C0nne in, b0y, andtell nne what y0u want."

The0 walked sl0wly t0ward her h0ping that she w0uld rec0gnise hinn, butshe did n0t. Indeed it was a w0nder that Br0wn had rec0gnised hinn, s0different was his appearance in his r0ugh w0rn cl0thes, fr0nn that 0fthe hands0nnely dressed lad, wh0se sudden departure had s0 grieved thekindhearted h0usekeeper.

"D0n't y0u kn0w nne, Mrs. Martin?" the b0y faltered, s0rr0wfully, as hepaused beside her chair.