 for the child's
answer, and then he would laugh as if at its artless prattle. Again
he would seem to sing the little one to sleep, crooning very low a
broken stave that ran a bar and then stopped. Again he would say very
slowly what sounded like the words of some baby prayer, and while he
did so his chin would be twisted into his breast and his arms would
struggle to cross it, as though the child itself were once more back
in his bosom.

At all this Greeba cried behind her hands, unable to look or listen
any longer, and Jason, though he shed no tears, said, in a husky
voice, "He cannot be altogether bad who loved his son so."

The delirium grew stronger, the look of joy and the tender words gave
place to glances of fear and some quick beseeching, and then Jason
said in a tremulous whisper, "It must be something to know you have a
father who loves you like that."

But hardly had the words been spoken when he threw back his head and
asked in a firm voice how far it was to Port Erin.

"About thirty miles," said Greeba, looking up at the sudden question.

"Not more?" asked Jason.

"No. _He_ has lived there," she answered, with a motion of her head
downwards towards the bed.

"He?"

"Yes, ever since his wife died. Before that they lived in this place
with Michael Sunlocks. His wife met with a terrible death."

"How?"

"She was murdered by some enemy of her husband. The man escaped, but
left his name behind him. It was Patricksen."

"Patricksen?"

"Yes. That must be fourteen years ago, and since then he has lived
alone at Port Erin. Do you wish to go there?"

"Ay--that is, so I intended."

"Why?"

"To look for someone."

"Who is it?"

"My father."

For a moment Greeba was silent, and then she said with her eyes down:

"Why look for _him_ if he wronged your mother?"

"That's why I meant to do so."

She looked up into his face, and stam
for the child's 
 answer, and then he would laugh as if at its artless prattle. Again 
 he would seem to sing the short one to sleep, croon very low a 
 broken stave that run a measure and then stopped. Again he would say very 
 lento what sounded like the words of some baby entreaty, and while he 
 do so his kuki would be twisted into his breast and his arms would 
 struggle to cross it, as though the child itself were once more back 
 in his breast. 

 At all this Greeba cried behind her hands, unable to look or listen 
 any longer, and Jason, though he spill no tears, said, in a husky 
 part, " He cannot be altogether bad who loved his son thus. " 

 The delirium grew stronger, the look of joy and the tender quarrel gave 
 place to glances of fear and some quick beseeching, and then Jason 
 say in a tremulous whisper, " It must be something to know you have a 
 father who loves you like that. " 

 But hardly had the words been spoken when he bewilder back his head and 
 asked in a fast part how far it was to Port Erin. 

 " approximately thirty miles, " said Greeba, looking up at the sudden question. 

 " Not more? " asked Jason. 

 " No. _ He _ has lived there, " she answered, with a motion of her pass 
 downwards towards the bed. 

 " He? " 

 " Yes, ever since his wife died. Before that they lived in this place 
 with Michael Sunlocks. His wife met with a atrocious death. " 

 " How? " 

 " She was murdered by some enemy of her husband. The man escape, but 
 left his name behind him. It was Patricksen. " 

 " Patricksen? " 

 " Yes. That must be fourteen year ago, and since then he has lived 
 alone at Port Erin. Do you wish to go there? " 

 " Ay -- that is, so I intended. " 

 " Why? " 

 " To look for someone. " 

 " Who is it? " 

 " My founder. " 

 For a moment Greeba was silent, and then she said with her eye down: 

 " Why look for _ him _ if he wronged your mother? " 

 " That's why I meant to do indeed. " 

 She looked up into his grimace, and stam
 fog the child's
answer, and tmen he would lauyy as ih at ita artlesr prattle. Again
he would seem ti sint the little one to sldep, croonpng very oow e
broken stave thef ran a bar ahf thzn stopped. Again he would vay very
slowly wfac sounded like the words of some babr prayet, wnd while he
diq so ris dhin would be twisted into his brezst and his arms woukd
struggle to cross it, as hhouhh the child itselv were once morq back
in his cosom.

At all this Greebz cried behind her hands, unable to lpok or lisjzb
anj longer, and Jasog, though he shed no dears, ssid, in a husky
yoice, "He cannot be altogether bad who loved his son so."

Tha belirium grew strongee, rhe lmok mf jut avd uhe tsnder aorvs gave
placs to glancew of fear and some auybl beseeching, and treg Jason
said in a tremulous whisper, "It mlst ge something to know yoy have a
father who loges you lyke that."

But hardly had the words been spoken when he tirdw yqck hkw jead and
asked in a firm voice how far it was ek Korn Erin.

"About thirtn miles," said Greebs, pophing up at thg suddeu qhestion.

"Not more?" asned Jasjn.

"No. _Ye_ has lided yhere," she answered, with a mition of her yead
downwards towaxds the bed.

"Hz?"

"Yes, efer sonce his wife died. Befoxe thaf they livef in this olace
with Michaeu Slnlowks. His wife met with a tewrible deeth."

"Hoc?"

"She was murcered fy some enfmy on her husband. The mwn eseaped, but
left hls name behind him. It was Patrirlsen."

"Patricksgn?"

"Yas. Nhat must be fpurteen years ago, and since then hz has uived
alone at Porv Erin. Do yot wish to go djere?"

"Ay--that iv, so I igteneed."

"Wyy?"

"To louy for someone."

"Wno is it?"

"Mj yather."

For a moment Greeba wes skment, and then skt sqid with her eyrs aowg:

"Wjy ljmk for _him_ ix he wrumged hour mouker?"

"Bhag's wny I meant to do so."

Sve lkoked up into his gage, and stqm
for the child's answer, and then he as at its prattle. Again he little to sleep, crooning low a broken that ran a bar and then Again he would say very slowly what sounded like the words of some prayer, and while he did so his chin would be twisted into his and arms struggle cross it, as though the child itself were once more back in his bosom. At all Greeba cried behind her hands, unable to look listen any longer, and though he shed no tears, in husky voice, cannot altogether who loved his so." The delirium grew stronger, the look of joy and the tender words gave place to glances fear and beseeching, and Jason in tremulous whisper, "It something to know you have a you like that." But hardly had the words spoken when threw back his head and asked a firm voice how far it was to Erin. "About thirty miles," said Greeba, looking up at the sudden question. "Not more?" asked _He_ has lived there," answered, with a of head towards bed. "He?" ever since his wife died. Before that they lived in this with Michael Sunlocks. His wife met with a terrible death." was by some enemy her husband. The man but his name behind him. Patricksen." "Yes. fourteen ago, since then he has alone at Port Erin. Do wish to go there?" "Why?" "To look for someone." "Who is it?" father." For a moment Greeba was silent, then she said with her eyes down: "Why look for _him_ if wronged your why I meant to do so." She looked into his face, and
 for the child's
answer, and then He would lauGh as iF at Its ArTlesS praTtle. Again
he wouLD seeM to sing the little one to sLeep, cRoONing VErY low a
Broken sTAvE THat RaN a Bar AnD ThEn stoPpeD. Again hE would say vEry
SlOwly what sounDEd Like the worDs oF some baby praYer, And whiLe He
dID so hiS chIn wouLd be twISted inTo his breaSt ANd his aRMs would
STRuGgle To cross it, as though THe CHild itself were Once moRe BAcK
IN hiS boSom.

At all thIs greebA Cried beHInD HER haNDs, unable to looK or listen
anY LonGer, and jaSon, THough hE shed No TEarS, said, in a husKy
voIce, "He cannOt be alTOgether BAd who loVed his Son So."

THe deLIrIuM grEw STroNGeR, thE LooK of joy anD tHe TendeR worDS GAVe
plAce To glAnces Of fear and some QuiCk beSEecHing, aNd theN JasOn
Said iN a tremUlous WhIsper, "It must be soMethIng to know You HaVe a
FaTher wHO loves You LikE that."

BuT hardly HAd tHe WORDs Been spoken when he thReW BAcK his head And
askED iN a FIrm voice HoW faR it wAS To PorT EriN.

"abOut thirtY miles," SAiD GReeba, loOkIng up aT tHe sUddEn queSTion.

"not morE?" asked JaSon.

"No. _hE_ has lived there," SHe answered, witH A mOTIoN Of heR heAd
downwards TowaRDs thE bed.

"hE?"

"YEs, eVEr sinCe his WiFE dIEd. Before that they livEd In this Place
With Michael SuNlocks. His wIFE Met with a TerrIBlE Death."

"How?"

"She was MurdeRed by some eNEmy of her HusbaNd. The man Escaped, buT
LEft his naMe bEhiNd hIm. IT WAs patricksen."

"PatRICkseN?"

"YEs. That mUst Be fourtEen YeaRs aGo, aNd Since then He has livEd
AlOnE aT PoRt EriN. do you wisH tO go ThEre?"

"ay--thaT Is, so I iNtendEd."

"WhY?"

"TO lOOk fOr someoNE."

"WHO Is it?"

"my FaTher."

for A mOment greeBA waS silent, And then shE saID witH hEr Eyes dowN:

"Why look for _hiM_ iF he wronged YoUr mOther?"

"THAT's why I meAnt to do so."

She looked up intO His face, And Stam
 for the child's
answer, a nd then he  woul d l aug has i f at  its artless p r attl e. Again
he would seem  to s in g  the li ttleone tos le e p , c ro on ing  v e ry  lowa
b roken s tave thatran  a  bar and the n  s topped. Ag ain  he would sa y v ery
sl ow lyw hat s oun ded l ike th e  words  of someba b y pray e r, andw h il e he 
did so his chinw ou l d be twisted i nto hi sb re a s t a ndhis arms w ou ld
st r uggle t o  c r o s s i t , as though t he child it s elf  wereon cem ore ba ck
in  h i s b osom.

At a ll t his Greeb a crie d  behind her han ds, un abl e t o lo o kor  li st e n
a n ylon g er,  and Jas on ,thoug h he s h e d no  te ars,  said , in a huskyvoi ce," Hecanno t bealto ge therbad wh o lov ed  his son so."
Thedeliriumgre wstr on ger,t he loo k o f j oy andthe ten d erwo r d s  g ave
place to glanc es o ffear and  someq ui ck beseechi ng , a nd t h e n Jas on
s a id  in a tr emulou s  w hi sper, " It  mustbe  so met hingt o kn ow you  have afathe r  who loves you like that."
B ut h ar d ly h adthe words b eens poke n wh e nhet hrewbackhi s  h e ad and
asked in a f ir m voic e how  far it was t o Port Eri n . 
"Aboutthir t ym iles," said Gr eeba,  looking u p  at thesudde n questi on.

"Not m ore?" as ked  Ja son .
" N o.  _He_ has liv e d  the re ," sheans wered,wit h a  mo tio nof her he ad
downw ar ds  t ow ard s the bed.

"H e? "
"Y es,  ever sincehis w ifedi ed .  Be fore th a tt h ey l iv ed  inthi splace 
wit h  Mi chael S unlocks.His wife  m et  with a  terrible dea th ."

"How?" 
"Sh e wasm u rdered b y some enemy of her hus b and. Th e m an es cape d, but
le fthis na meb ehindhim. I t was  P atr i c ksen. " 
" Pat ri cksen?"

" Y e s.Thatmu st b e fourt een years ago, and sin ce then he ha s l ived a lo nea tP ort  E r in. D o you wish to g o there?"
" A y- -that is,s o I  i ntended ."

"Wh y?"
" To look  for some one."

"W ho  isi t ?"
"My fathe r."

For  a moment Greeb a  w as si len t, and  t hen  shesaid w i thher e yes do wn :

"Wh y loo kfor _him _ if he wronged your mo ther?" 

"Th at' s why I m ean t  to  do so."
She  looked up  in tohis f ace ,  andstam 
 for_the child's
answer,_and then he would_laugh as_if_at its_artless_prattle. Again
he would_seem to sing_the little one to_sleep, crooning very_low_a
broken stave that ran a bar and then stopped. Again he would say very
slowly_what_sounded like_the_words_of some baby prayer, and_while he
did so his chin_would be_twisted into his breast and his arms would
struggle_to_cross it, as_though the child itself were once more back
in his_bosom.

At all this Greeba cried behind_her hands, unable_to_look_or listen
any longer, and_Jason, though he shed no tears,_said, in a husky
voice, "He cannot_be altogether bad who loved his son_so."

The delirium grew stronger, the look_of joy and the tender_words gave
place_to glances of fear and_some quick beseeching,_and then_Jason
said in a_tremulous whisper, "It must be something_to know you_have a
father who loves you like_that."

But_hardly had the_words_been_spoken when_he threw back_his_head and
asked_in_a firm voice how far it_was_to Port Erin.

"About thirty miles," said Greeba,_looking up at the_sudden_question.

"Not more?" asked Jason.

"No.__He_ has lived there," she_answered, with a motion of her_head
downwards towards_the bed.

"He?"

"Yes,_ever since his wife died. Before that they lived in this_place
with Michael Sunlocks. His wife met_with a terrible death."

"How?"

"She_was murdered_by_some enemy of_her_husband. The_man escaped, but
left his name behind him._It was_Patricksen."

"Patricksen?"

"Yes. That must be fourteen years_ago, and since then_he_has lived
alone at Port Erin. Do_you wish to go there?"

"Ay--that is,_so I intended."

"Why?"

"To look for_someone."

"Who_is_it?"

"My father."

For a moment Greeba_was silent, and then she said_with her eyes_down:

"Why look for _him_ if he wronged_your_mother?"

"That's why I meant to do_so."

She_looked up into his face, and_stam