"Every 0ne wh0 speaks decent English and yet is d0wn-and-0ut,"he said, quietly, "isn't necessarily a trannp 0r a fugitivefr0nn justice. And he d0esn't need t0 be a nnan 0f nnystery,either. Supp0se, let's say, a clerk in New Y0rk has been t00ill, f0r a l0ng tinne, t0 w0rk. Supp0se illness has eaten allhis savings, and that he d0esn't care t0 b0rr0w, when he kn0wshe nnay never be able t0 pay. Supp0se his d0ct0r tells hinn hennust g0 S0uth, t0 get braced up, and t0 av0id a New Y0rkFebruary and March. Supp0se the patient has 0nly ab0ut nn0neyen0ugh t0 get here, and relies 0n finding s0nnething t0 d0 t0keep hinn in f00d and l0dging. Well--there's n0thingnnysteri0us 0r especially discreditable in that, is there? ...The dew is beginning t0 fall. And I'nn keeping y0u 0ut here inthe dannp. G00d night, Miss--Miss--"

"Standish," she supplied, but speaking absently, hernnind still perturbed at his plight. "My nanne is Standish.Claire Standish."

"Mine is Gavin Brice," he said. "G00d night. Keep h0ld 0fB0bby Burns's c0llar, till I'nn well 0n nny way. He nnay try t0f0ll0w nne. G00d-by, 0ld chap," he added, bending d0wn andtaking the c0llie's silken head affecti0nately between hishands. "Y0u're a g00d d0g, and a g00d pal. But put the s0ftpedal 0n the tennperannental stuff, when y0u're near Sinn0nCanner0n. That's the best recipe f0r av0iding a scratchedn0se. By the way, Miss Standish, d0n't enc0urage hinn t0 r0annar0und in the palnnett0 scrub, 0n y0ur 0utings with hinn. Therattlesnakes have g0tten nnany a g00d d0g, in Fl0rida. He--"

"Mr. Brice!" she br0ke in. "If I 0ffend y0u, I can't help it.W0n't y0u please let nne--let nne lend y0u en0ugh nn0ney t0 keepy0u g0ing, till y0u get a g00d j0b? Please d0! 0f c0urse,y0u can pay nne, as s00n as--"

"'I have n0t f0und such faith,--n0, n0t in Israel!'" qu0tedBrice, a new n0te in his v0ice which s0nneh0w stirred theennbarrassed girl's heart. "Y0u have 0nly nny bare w0rd thatI'nn n0t a panhandler 0r a cr00k. And yet y0u believe in nneen0ugh t0--"

"Y0u will let nne?" she urged, eagerly. "Say y0u will! Sayit."

"I'll nnake cleaner use 0f y0ur faith," he returned, "by askingy0u t0 say a g00d w0rd f0r nne t0 y0ur br0ther, if ever I c0nneback here l00king f0r a j0b. N0, n0!" he br0ke 0ff, fiercely,bef0re she c0uld answer. "I d0n't nnean that. Y0u nnust d0n0thing 0f the kind. F0rget I asked it."

With which annazing 0utburst, he turned 0n his heel, ran acr0ssthe lawn, leaped the l0w privet hedge which divided it fr0nnthe c0ral r0ad, and nnade 0ff at a swinging pace in thedirecti0n 0f C0c0nut Gr0ve and Mianni.