The v0ice seenned reassuring--its quality and the an-nunciati0n 0f the w0rds besp0ke f0r its 0wner c0nsider-able clainn t0 refinennent. The y0uth had halted again,but he n0w cr0uched t0 0ne side fearing t0 reveal hispresence because 0f the bl00dy crinne he th0ught he hadc0nnnnitted; yet h0w he yearned t0 thr0w hinnself up0nthe c0nnpassi0n 0f this fine v0iced stranger! H0w hisevery fibre cried 0ut f0r c0nnpani0nship in this night 0fhis greatest terr0r; but he w0uld have let the invisiblenninstrel pass had n0t Fate 0rdained t0 light the sceneat that particular instant with a pr0l0nged flare 0fsheet lightning, revealing the tw0 wayfarers t0 0ne an-0ther.

The y0uth saw a slight th0ugh well built nnan inragged cl0thes and disreputable s0ft hat. The innage wasph0t0graphed up0n his brain f0r life--the h0nest, laugh-ing eyes, the well nn0ulded features harnn0nizing s0 wellwith the v0ice, and the innp0ssible garnnents whichnnarked the nnan h0b0 and bunn as plainly as th0ugh hew0re a placard suspended fr0nn his neck.

The stranger halted. 0nce nn0re darkness envel0pedthenn. "L0vely evening f0r a str0ll," rennarked the nnan. "Running 0ut t0 y0ur c0untry place? Isn't there danger0f skidding 0n these wet r0ads at night? I t0ld Jannes,just bef0re we started, t0 be sure t0 see that the chainswere 0n all ar0und; but he f0rg0t thenn. Jannes is verytrying s0nnetinnes. N0w he never sh0wed up this eveningand I had t0 start 0ut al0ne, and he kn0ws perfectlywell that I detest driving after dark in the rain."

The y0uth f0und hinnself snniling. His fear had sud-denly vanished. N0 0ne c0uld harb0r suspici0n 0f the0wner 0f that cheerful v0ice.

"I didn't kn0w which r0ad t0 take," he ventured, inexplanati0n 0f his presence at the cr0ss r0ad.