she and with great interest and anxiety set forth beside him down the path on the alert for any f or a little captive maid they went out at the gate in the high fence the master remembered where to find the key and he seemed in excellent spirits the side street led them down the hill to father s house but when they reached it the poor captain was tired out began to be frightened as she stole a look at him she had forgotten in the pride of her own youthful strength that it would be such a long walk for him she was anxious about the interview with father she had no idea how to account for their presence but she had small opinion of the merits and ability of the captain s own parish minister and felt confident of the good result in some way of the visit presently the priest s quick step was heard in the passage rose as he came in but was only noticed by a kindly glance the old captain tried to rise too but could not and father and he greeted each other with evident regard and respect father sat down with a questioning look he was a busy man with a great parish and almost every one of his visitors came to him with an important errand the room was stiff looking and a little bare everything in it was well worn there a little captive maid was a fine portrait of father s or it should rather be said a poor portrait of a fine man whose personal goodness aad power of doing christian service shone in his face father miles had been the first priest in that fast growing inland town and the captain had known and respected him he did not say anything now but sat looking up much pleased at the picture this parlor of the priest s house had a strangely public and look it had been the scene of many parish and and sober of rebuke and kindly counsel gazed about her with awe she had been brought up in great reverence of holy things and of her spiritual and masters but she could not help noticing that the captain was a little astray in these first few moments there stole in upon his pleased contemplation of the portrait a sense of doing an thing and he could not regain his familiar dignity and self possession that conscious right to authority which through long years had stood him in such good stead he was only a poor sick old man he had never quite understood the truth about himself before a little captive maid and the thought choked hun he could not speak the was to with your about ventured timidly feeling at last that the success of the visit depended wholly upon herself oh indeed exclaimed the good priest much relieved he had discovered the pathetic situation at last and his face grew compassionate this little girl seems to believe that it would set me up to have a change of air i have n t been very well father the captain was quite himself again for the moment as he spoke you may not have heard that the doctors have had hold of me lately here has been looking after me very well and she speaks of some on your irish coast i may not be able to leave my business long enough to do any good it s going to the dogs at any rate but i ve got enough to carry me through was flushing with eagerness but the priest saw how white the old captain s fingers were where they clasped his how and feeble his face had a little captive maid grown the thought of the green hills and hollows along the old familiar shore the lovely reaches of the bay the soft air the came to his mind as if he had been among them but yesterday i wish that you were there sir i do indeed said father it is nearer like heaven than any spot in the world to me is old you would be pleased there i m certain but you re not strong enough for the voyage i fear captain you d best wait a bit and regain your strength a little more a man s home is best i think when he s not well the captain and both looked defeated father saw their sadness and was sure that his kindest duty was to interest this poor guest and to make a pleasure for him if possible i can tell you all about it sir and how you might get there he went on hastily shaking his head to some one who had come to summon him land at go right up to cork and pass the night and then by rail and coach next day � t is but a brief journey and you re there t is a grand little hotel you find close to the bay � t was like a palace to me in my boyhood a little captive maid with the fine coming and going well i wish we were there this day and i showing you up and down the length of the green country just what i want i ve been a busy man but when i take a holiday give me none of your noisy towns said the captain eager and cheerful again you d be so still there that a bird lighting in the would wake you said father ah t is many a long year since i saw the place i dream of it by night sometimes captain god bless it could not keep back the ready tears the very thought that his reverence had grown to manhood in her own dear was too much for her you re not of going over this summer asked the captain wistfully i should 