Page:O'Higgins--From the life.djvu/29

 Her face suddenly changed and cleared. She stared at him blankly. An expression of frightened bewilderment came into her eyes, as if she had been wakened from a nightmare.

He sat down beside her. "What's the matter?" he asked. "You're soaked through. Why don't you go home?"

She did not reply.

He put his hand on her arm. "Tell me," he said. "Aren't you well? What's wrong? Can I help you?"

And she answered, in a breathy, hoarse gasp of exhaustion, "I'm hungry."

"Come along with me," he said. "Can you walk?" And, taking her by the elbow, he helped her to her feet. Her hat dropped to the sidewalk as she rose. He picked it up, put the handkerchief in his pocket, tucked the hat under his arm, and started across the Square with her.

She staggered as if her feet were numb.

It was apparent that he could not take her to a restaurant in that condition, even if there had been a cheap restaurant near. But he had no thought of going to a restaurant. He had not money enough to pay restaurant prices. He had food in his room, and he was taking her there, to give it to her.

He had already concluded that her doglike whining and panting had been an illusion; that he had seen something like it, but not that! And he