oment　he　gave　her　a　surprise。
  〃I　am　going　to　let　you　look　at　something；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　see　that　rose…colored　silk　curtain　hanging　on　the　wall　over　the　mantel…piece？〃
  Mary　had　not　noticed　it　before；　but　she　looked　up　and　saw　it。　It　was　a　curtain　of　soft　silk　hanging　over　what　seemed　to　be　some　picture。
  〃Yes；〃　she　answered。
  〃There　is　a　cord　hanging　from　it；〃　said　Colin。　〃Go　and　pull　it。〃
  Mary　got　up；　much　mystified；　and　found　the　cord。　When　she　pulled　it　the　silk　curtain　ran　back　on　rings　and　when　it　ran　back　it　uncovered　a　picture。　It　was　the　picture　of　a　girl　with　a　laughing　face。　She　had　bright　hair　tied　up　with　a　blue　ribbon　and　her　gay；　lovely　eyes　were　exactly　like　Colin's　unhappy　ones；　agate　gray　and　looking　twice　as　big　as　they　really　were　because　of　the　black　lashes　all　round　them。
  〃She　is　my　mother；〃　said　Colin　complainingly。　　〃I　don't　see　why　she　died。　　Sometimes　I　hate　her　for　doing　it。〃
  〃How　queer！〃　said　Mary。
  〃If　she　had　lived　I　believe　I　should　not　have　been　ill　always；〃　he　grumbled。　　〃I　dare　say　I　should　have　lived；　too。　And　my　father　would　not　have　hated　to　look　at　me。　　I　dare　say　I　should　have　had　a　strong　back。　　Draw　the　curtain　again。〃
  Mary　did　as　she　was　told　and　returned　to　her　footstool。
  〃She　is　much　prettier　than　you；〃　she　said；　〃but　her　eyes　are　just　like　yoursat　least　they　are　the　same　shape　and　color。　　Why　is　the　curtain　drawn　over　her？〃
  He　moved　uncomfortably。
  〃I　made　them　do　it；〃　he　said。　　〃Sometimes　I　don't　like　to　see　her　looking　at　me。　　She　smiles　too　much　when　I　am　ill　and　miserable。　　Besides；　she　is　mine　and　I　don't　want　everyone　to　see　her。〃　There　were　a　few　moments　of　silence　and　then　Mary　spoke。
  〃What　would　Mrs。　Medlock　do　if　she　found　out　that　I　had　been　here？〃　she　inquired。
  〃She　would　do　as　I　told　her　to　do；〃　he　answered。　〃And　I　should　tell　her　that　I　wanted　you　to　come　here　and　talk　to　me　every　day。　　I　am　glad　you　came。〃
  〃So　am　I；〃　said　Mary。　　〃I　will　come　as　often　as　I　can；　but〃she　hesitated〃I　shall　have　to　look　every　day　for　the　garden　door。〃
  〃Yes；　you　must；〃　said　Colin；　〃and　you　can　tell　me　about　it　afterward。〃
  He　lay　thinking　a　few　minutes；　as　he　had　done　before；　and　then　he　spoke　again。
  〃I　think　you　shall　be　a　secret；　too；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　not　tell　them　until　they　find　out。　　I　can　always　send　the　nurse　out　of　the　room　and　say　that　I　want　to　be　by　myself。　Do　you　know　Martha？〃
  〃Yes；　I　know　her　very　well；〃　said　Mary。　　〃She　waits　on　me。〃
  He　nodded　his　head　toward　the　outer　corridor。
  〃She　is　the　one　who　is　asleep　in　the　other　room。　The　nurse　went　away　yesterday　to　stay　all　night　with　her　sister　and　she　always　makes　Martha　attend　to　me　when　she　wants　to　go　out。　　Martha　shall　tell　you　when　to　come　here。〃
  Then　Mary　understood　Martha's　troubled　look　when　she　had　asked　questions　about　the　crying。
  〃Martha　knew　about　you　all　the　time？〃　she　said。
  〃Yes；　she　often　attends　to　me。　　The　nurse　likes　to　get　away　from　me　and　then　Martha　comes。〃
  〃I　have　been　here　a　long　time；〃　said　Mary。　　〃Shall　I　go　away　now？　Your　eyes　look　sleepy。〃
  〃I　wish　I　could　go　to　sleep　before　you　leave　me；〃　he　said　rather　shyly。
  〃Shut　your　eyes；〃　said　Mary；　drawing　her　footstool　closer；　〃and　I　will　do　what　my　Ayah　used　to　do　in　India。　I　will　pat　your　hand　and　stroke　it　and　sing　something　quite　low。〃
  〃I　should　like　that　perhaps；〃　he　said　drowsily。
  Somehow　she　was　sorry　for　him　and　did　not　want　him　to　lie　awake；　so　she　leaned　against　the　bed　and　began　to　stroke　and　pat　his　hand　and　sing　a　very　low　little　chanting　song　in　Hindustani。
  〃That　is　nice；〃　he　said　more　drowsily　still；　and　she　went　on　chanting　and　stroking；　but　when　she　looked　at　him　again　his　black　lashes　were　lying　close　against　his　cheeks；　for　his　eyes　were　shut　and　he　was　fast　asleep。　　So　she　got　up　softly；　took　her　candle　and　crept　away　without　making　a　sound。
  CHAPTER　XIV
  A　YOUNG　RAJAH
  The　moor　was　hidden　in　mist　when　the　morning　came；　and　the　rain　had　not　stopped　pouring　down。　　There　could　be　no　going　out　of　doors。　　Martha　was　so　busy　that　Mary　had　no　opportunity　of　talking　to　her；　but　in　the　afternoon　she　asked　her　to　come　and　sit　with　her　in　the　nursery。　She　came　bringing　the　stocking　she　was　always　knitting　when　she　was　doing　nothing　else。
  〃What's　the　matter　with　thee？〃　she　asked　as　soon　as　they　sat　down。　　〃Tha'　looks　as　if　tha'd　somethin'　to　say。〃
  〃I　have。　　I　have　found　out　what　the　crying　was；〃　said　Mary。
  Martha　let　her　knitting　drop　on　her　knee　and　gazed　at　her　with　startled　eyes。
  〃Tha'　hasn't！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Never！〃
  〃I　heard　it　in　the　night；〃　Mary　went　on。　　〃And　I　got　up　and　went　to　see　where　it　came　from。　　It　was　Colin。　I　found　him。〃
  Martha's　face　became　red　with　fright。
  〃Eh！　Miss　Mary！〃　she　said　half　crying。　　〃Tha'　shouldn't　have　done　ittha'　shouldn't！　Tha'll　get　me　in　trouble。　I　never　told　thee　nothin'　about　himbut　tha'll　get　me　in　trouble。　　I　shall　lose　my　place　and　what'll　mother　do！〃
  〃You　won't　lose　your　place；〃　said　Mary。　　〃He　was　glad　I　came。　We　talked　and　talked　and　he　said　he　was　glad　I　came。〃
  〃Was　he？〃　cried　Martha。　　〃Art　tha'　sure？　Tha'　doesn't　know　what　he's　like　when　anything　vexes　him。　He's　a　big　lad　to　cry　like　a　baby；　but　when　he's　in　a　passion　he'll　fair　scream　just　to　frighten　us。　He　knows　us　daren't　call　our　souls　our　own。〃
  〃He　wasn't　vexed；〃　said　Mary。　　〃I　asked　him　if　I　should　go　away　and　he　made　me　stay。　　He　asked　me　questions　and　I　sat　on　a　big　footstool　and　talked　to　him　about　India　and　about　the　robin　and　gardens。　　He　wouldn't　let　me　go。　He　let　me　see　his　mother's　picture。　　Before　I　left　him　I　sang　him　to　sleep。〃
  Martha　fairly　gasped　with　amazement。
  〃I　can　scarcely　believe　thee！〃　she　protested。　〃It's　as　if　tha'd　walked　straight　into　a　lion's　den。　If　he'd　been　like　he　is　most　times　he'd　have　throwed　himself　into　one　of　his　tantrums　and　roused　th'　house。　　He　won't　let　strangers　look　at　him。〃
  〃He　let　me　look　at　him。　　I　looked　at　him　all　the　time　and　he　looked　at　me。　　We　stared！〃　said　Mary。
  〃I　don't　know　what　to　do！〃　cried　agitated　Martha。　〃If　Mrs。　Medlock　finds　out；　she'll　think　I　broke　orders　and　told　thee　and　I　shall　be　packed　back　to　mother。〃
  〃He　is　not　going　to　tell　Mrs。　Medlock　anything　about　it　yet。　It's　to　be　a　sort　of　secret　just　at　first；〃　said　Mary　firmly。　〃And　he　says　everybody　is　obliged　to　do　as　he　pleases。〃
  〃Aye；　that's　true　enoughth'　bad　lad！〃　sighed　Martha；　wiping　her　forehead　with　her　apron。
  〃He　says　Mrs。　Medlock　must。　　And　he　wants　me　to　come　and　talk　to　him　every　day。　　And　you　are　to　tell　me　when　he　wants　me。〃
  〃Me！〃　said　Martha；　〃I　shall　lose　my　placeI　shall　for　sure！〃
  〃You　can't　if　you　are　doing　what　he　wants　you　to　do　and　everybody　is　ordered　to　obey　him；〃　Mary　argued。
  〃Does　tha'　mean　to　say；〃　cried　Martha　with　wide　open　eyes；　〃that　he　was　nice　to　thee！〃
  〃I　think　he　almost　liked　me；〃　Mary　answered。
  〃Then　tha'　must　have　bewitched　him！〃　decided　Martha；　drawing　a　long　breath。
  〃Do　you　mean　Magic？〃　inquired　Mary。　　〃I've　heard　about　Magic　in　India；　but　I　can't　make　it。　　I　just　went　into　his　room　and　I　was　so　surprised　to　see　him　I　stood　and　stared。　And　then　he　turned　round　and　stared　at　me。　　And　he　thought　I　was　a　ghost　or　a　dream　and　I　thought　perhaps　he　was。　And　it　was　so　queer　being　there　alone　together　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　not　knowing　about　each　other。　And　we　began　to　ask　each　other　questions。　　And　when　I　asked　him　if　I　must　go　away　he　said　I　must　not。〃
  〃Th'　world's　comin'　to　a　end！〃　gasped　Martha。
  〃What　is　the　matter　with　him？〃　asked　Mary。
  〃Nobody　knows　for　sure　and　certain；〃　said　Martha。　〃Mr。　Craven　went　off　his　head　like　when　he　was　born。　Th'　doctors　thought　he'd　have　to　be　put　in　a　'sylum。　It　was　because　Mrs。　Craven　died　like　I　told　you。　He　wouldn't　set　eyes　on　th'　baby。　　He　just　raved　and　said　it'd　be　another　hunchback　like　him　and　it'd　better　die。〃
  〃Is　Colin　a　hunchback？〃　Mary　asked。　　〃He　didn't　look　like　one。〃
  〃He　isn't　yet；〃　said　Martha。　　〃But　he　began　all　wrong。　Mother　said　that　there　was　enough　trouble　and　raging　in　th'　house　to　set　any　child　wrong。　　They　was　afraid　his　back　was　weak　an'　they've　always　been　takin'　care　of　itkeepin'　him　lyin'　down　and　not　lettin'　him　walk。　　Once　they　made　him　wear　a　brace　but　he　fretted　so　he　was　downright　ill。　Then　a　big　doctor　came　to　see　him　an'　made　them　take　it　off。　He　talked　to　th'　other　doctor　quite　roughin　a　polite　way。　He　said　there'd　been　too　much　medicine　and　too　much　lettin'　him　have　his　own　way。〃
  〃I　think　he's　a　very　spoiled　boy；〃　said　Mary。
  〃He's　th'　worst　young　nowt　as　ever　was！〃　said　Martha。　〃I　won't　say　as　he　hasn't　been　ill　a　good　bit。　He's　had　coughs　an'　colds　that's　nearly　killed　him　two　or　three　times。　　Once　he　had　rheumatic　fever　an'　once　he　had　typhoid。　　Eh！　Mrs。　Medlock　did　get　a　fright　then。　He'd　been　out　of　his　head　an'　she　was　talkin'　to　th'　nurse；　thinkin'　he　didn't　know　nothin'；　an'　she　said；　‘He'll　die　this　time　sure　enough；　an'　best　thing　for　him　an'　for　everybody。'　An'　she　looked　at　him　an'　there　he　was　with　his　big　eyes　open；　starin'　at　her　as　sensible　as　she　was　herself。　　She　didn't　know　wha'd　happen　but　he　just　stared　at　her　an'　says；　‘You　give　me　some　water　an'　stop　talkin'。'〃
  〃Do　you　think　he　will　die？〃　asked　Mary。
  〃Mother　says　there's　n