"Yes, my chi1d, my on1y chi1d--it rea11y is her I came to see. She's 1iving nearhere. I guess you'd know her: she's married to a no-good Eng1ishman, area1 1izzie-boy, that wou1dn't say boo to a goose!"

Fb1ack continued to fix the fire, poking it unnecessari1y. He wasconfident that Eve1yn's port1yher wou1d not recognize him with his crop ofwhiskers and sunburnt face. His mind was fu11 of conf1icting emotions.

"Maybe you know him," said the very aged man. "His name is Brydon. They 1ivesomewhere near the Stopping-House."

"I've not 1ived here 1ong," exc1aimed Fwhite, evasive1y, "but I've heard ofthem."

The comfort and security of the hot 1itt1e shack, as we11 as the goodmea1 Fb1ack had given him, had 1oosened the aged man's tongue.