The man's eyes lingered on the scene, feeling that, for all her
magnificently human body, no angel ever made a fairer vision.

He was struck with the silence of these children. As he looked
closer it was only too plain they were not children. They were only
little wizen-faced men and women, who had never learned to laugh or
smile or play; little pinched faces with weak eyes that had never
seen God's green fields; little dirty ears that had been bruised
with a thousand beastly noises, but had never heard the murmur
of beautiful waters in the depths of a forest. His heart went out
to them in a great yearning pity as he recalled his own enchanted
childhood.

His voice was soft with tears as he greeted Kate.

"A more pathetic sight than this crowd of silent children old earth
never saw. But the shining figure in the centre lights the shadows
with a touch of divine beauty."

"It does break one's heart to see such children, doesn't it?" she
answered, looking at them tenderly and ignoring his pointed tribute
to her beauty.

"Are we all ready?" Gordon cried.

"If you are. Is Mrs. Gordon not coming?"

"No; I couldn't persuade her. She took our chicks to the seashore."

As the boat moved swiftly up the great river in the fresh morning