She could not help glancing sideways at them as they gazed into the red glow of the coal.

What was her mind dwelling on?
Was she thinking of words to say?
Would she begin to feel that they were far enough from all the world--remote and all alone enough for words not to be sounds too terrible to hear even as they were spoken?
"Oh! dear Lord," Dowie prayed, "help her to ease her poor, timid young heart that's so crushed with cruel weight." "You must go to bed early, my dear," she said at length.

"But why don't you get a book and read ?" The lost eyes left the fire and met hers.
"I want to talk," Robin said.

"I want to ask you things." "I'll tell you anything you want to know," answered Dowie.

"You're only a child and you need an older woman to talk to." "I want to talk to you about--_me_," said Robin.