Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
CHAPTER XIV.
A Little Child Shall Lead.

his own cabin. The gloom OF his great
sorrow was heavy on him: the reaction
from the excitement of the morning had
come
When sorrow sits on the house of life
Its wings are widespread and SO far
stretching that they outloom the horizon
and no CLEAN OF light may come through.
And this gloom lasts while sorrow LASTS
For It is sorrow itself that tires first OF
the waiting. and when its wings are
lifted light joins life again,
He was recalled TO himself by a gentle
tapping at the door of his stateroom I'm
locking and opening the door he saw Mr.
Stonehouse, who said. with trouble in his
voice:
i came to you on account OF my little
child" There he stopped with a break In
his voice. Harold with intent to set his
mind at ease and to stave of further ex-
pressions OF gratitude. replied:
oh. pray don't say anything. am
only too glad that was privileged to be
OF service. I only trust that the dear
little girl is no worse for her-her ad-
venturer'
THAT is why am here" said the
rather. Quickly. My wife and / are 10th
to trouble you. But the poor little thing
fright and is calling for you. We have
tried In vain to comfort or reassure her.
BUT she Will rot be satisfied without you.
She keeps on calling on The Man to
come and help her. Ali SIR YOU have
won. and won nobly. the trust of that
dear little one. and /. her father. pray to
God that her angel who beholds the face
or her Heavenly Father may speak to
Him the gratitude that we feel. am
10Th TO put you to further strain after all
you have gone through today but IL you
would come" Harold was already in
the passage as he spoke:
m coming! She is. indeed very
sweet and good child. ] shall never for
get how she bore herself while we waited
for the aid to come. Her prayer and her
trust in it were help to us both
You must tell her mother and me all
about It," said the father, much moved
When they came close to the Stone
houses suite of rooms they heard Pearls
voice rising with a pitiful note of fear:
where is The Man? Oh, where is The
Man. Why doesn't he come to me? He
can save me! I want to be with The
MAN." When the door opened and she
saw him she save a shrek of delight. and
springing from the arms Of her mother.
who sat on the sofa berth. she fairly
leaped into Harold's arms. which were
outstretched to receive her. She chung
to him tight round the neck. and kissed
him again and again. rubbing her little
hands all over his face as though to
prove to herself that he was real and not
a dream. Then with sigh she laid her
head on his breast, the reaction OF sleep
coming all at once to her. With a ges-
ture of silence Harold sat down, holding
the child In his arms. Her mother laid a
thick shawl over her and sat down close
to Harold. Mr.. Stonehouse stood quiet
In the doorway. with the chiId's nurse
peering anxiously over his shoulder
After little while. when he thought
that she was asleep. Harold rose and be-
gan to place her gently in the bunk. But
the moment he did so she walked with a
scream. The fright in her eyes was ter
rible. She chung to him. moaning and
crying out between her sobs:
Don't leave me! Don't leave me!
moved and'held the little thing tight in
his strong arms, saying to her:
mo. darling! / shan't leave youi Look
In my eyes, dear. and I will promise you,
and then you will be happy. Won't you?"
She looked quickly up in his face, hold
ing him from her at arms length as she
bent backwards. For a few seconds she
gazed at him searchingly. with all the
self-protective instinct which is given TO
the young. Then she kissed him on the
mouth lovingly. and resting her head, but
not sleepily this time. on his breast. said:
Yes! I'm not afraid now, I'm going
to stay with The Man,
Presently Mrs. Stonehouse, who had
been thinking of ways and means. and of
the comfort OF the strange man who had
been SO good to her child, said:
You will sleep with mother tonight,
darling. Mr.. The Man." she said
this with an appealing look OF apology
to Harold. The Man will stay by you till
rupted. not fretfuliy or argumentatively.
but with a settled air of content:
NO! I'm going to sleep with The
Mani"
"Oh. Miss Pearl how can you say
such thing" this from the nurse in the
doorway. No one. however, seemed TO
notice her words.
But. dear one" the mother expostu-
lated. THE Man will want sleep. too
"All right, mother. He can sleep. too.
I'll be very good and lie quite quiet: but
oh! mother. / can't sleep unless his arms
are round me. I'm afraid If they're not
the sea will get me!' and she chung close
to Harold. Tightening her arms round his
neck
"oh, Miss Pearl, how can your" said
again the nurse in the doorway. shocked
and Mortified. Mr.. Stonehouse turned
suddenly and said to her in a tone that
made her shrink back:
And why not. madam. Don't be q
fool.'
You will not mind?" asked Mrs Stone
house. timidly to Harold. ard, seeing ac-
quiescence in his face, added, in a burst
of fearful gratitude:
"Oh! you are good to her: to US ALL" a
HUSH" Harold said. quietly. 1T is a
small thing to do Then he said TO
Pearl. in a cheerful. matter-of-fact way,
which carried conviction. and consequent
ly satisfaction. to the child's mind:
Now. darling. il is time for all good
little girls to be asleep. especially when
they have had an-an interesting day.
You wait here till 1 put my pyjamas on.
and then I'll come back for you. And
mother and father shall come and see
you nicely tucked in,''
called after him as he hurried away. Even
trust can have its doubts.
In a few minutes Harold was back in
his dressing gown. Pearl. already wrap
ped in a warm shawl by her mother. held
out her arms to Harold who lifted her.
The Stonehouses' suite of rooms was
close to the top OF the companion-way.
and as Harolds stateroom was on the
saloon deck. the little procession had.
gauntlet of the throng of passengers
whom the bad weather had kept indoors.
When he came out of the day cabin car
rying the child there was a rush of all
the women to make much of the little
girl. They were all very kind and not
their interest was natural
and Harold stopped while they
petted the little thing. Miss Mollie waited
till the last. holding on to her fathers
arm. When her turn came she asked:
Where are you going, pet? For lit
tie promenade?" 49,
No. Mollie. I am going to sleep with
The Man. He won't let the sea get at me
In the night" The girl was much
touched. Her eyes were suspiciously
bright as she said heartily:
''You. darling! You are quite right.
I'LL folk a