"My son," she explained, " is shut up in a
dark room yonder. His eyes have been injured
by a hot blast in India, and he is not allowed to
see. You must read to him, amuse him, help
him to pass the time."

Hester promised to do her best, and was
taken to the darkened chamber. Poor Pierce
was extended upon a sofa, with his head tied up
in bandages. Nothing was to be seen of his
face, but a very rueful mouth and some black
whiskers. Hester was obliged to make herself
and her errand known, for Lady Humphrey
was with the doctors in the drawing-room.

"Please, Mr. Humphrey," said Hester, "I
am come to amuse you."

The rueful mouth broke into a broad smile
"Are you, indeed?" it said; "I am glad to
hear it, I am sure, and I must say you have
made a very fair beginning. And who are you,
might I ask?"

"My name is Hester," said the girl, "and I
come from Miss Hemisphere's school."

"Ah, little Hester! Well, you know I can't
see you, but shake hands, little woman. Yes,
that's a nice soft firm little hand, and I don't
like the handling I get here, I can tell you.
Nobody fit for a nurse to be had in these
quarters, and the least jerk gives such
confounded pain. You shall tie all my bandages,
little Hester."

"Yes," said the little girl, and was as good
as her word. And the young gentleman and
she became great friends after that. She read
him to sleep sometimes, and talked to him when
he liked, and was a great little mother to
Pierce Humphrey. And the young man, who
was a kindly young man, grew very fond of
her though he had never seen her face.

"I think you love me very much, little
Hester," he said to her one day.

"Why?" asked Hester, in a wondering
voice.

"Why? because you are so good to me,"
said the soldier. "Confess, do you not love
me very much?"

"I like you as much as ever I can," said
Hester, earnestly.

The young man bit his lip and reddened.
The answer was not quite what he expected.

"Come!" he said, "what fault do you find
with me? Am I not a handsome fellow
enough?"

"You are very handsome," said Hester,
gravely. "I never saw any one so handsome
before."

The young man blushed again, this time with
satisfaction.

"And am I not a good-natured chap?" he
said, "and very grateful for all you are doing
for me?"

"Oh, yes," said Hester, eagerly.

"What is it, then, little puss?"

"I think," said Hester, making a great
effort, "that you swear too much at the pain
and the doctors, who are doing a great deal for
you. And I think you ought not to grumble
as you do at Lady Humphrey."

"By Jove!" cried young Humphrey, and
the mouth under his bandages began to widen,
and the fragments of black whisker to tremble
with laughter. "Well, well, little sweetheart!"
he said, "I must try and mend my manners.
And now, though you can lecture a fellow so
well, perhaps you would not mind sharing his
troubles?"

"What troubles?" asked Hester, anxiously.

"Oh, fearful troubles!" he said, with an air
of desperation. "I have a terrible debt, and
not a farthing to pay it with."

"What is to be done?" cried Hester, in
distress. "Have you asked Lady Humphrey for
the money?"

The young man groaned. "She would not
give me a penny," he said, very deeply in his
chest; "not if I went upon my knees to her.
But, perhaps," he added, bent upon trying how
far the little girl would go to serve him—
"perhaps she would do it if you asked her."

Hester turned pale, but this he could not see.
"I don't think she would listen to me at all,"
she said, trembling.

"Oh yes, she might," said Pierce Humphrey.
"Will you promise me to try? It is my only
hope," he added, tragically.

The next instant he heard Hester's light foot
across the floor, and she was gone. Then
Pierce Humphrey got a little anxious as to how
his joke might end. He did want the money,
but not that the child should get into trouble.

"Lady Humphrey," said little Hester, standing
close to the lady's elbow; "if you please,
Lady Humphrey, Mr. Pierce is in bad need of
money."

"Is he indeed?" said her ladyship, sitting
upright in her chair.

"Yes," said Hester, shaking with fear. "He
wants a large sum of money to pay a debt. And
I am sure, Lady Humphrey, that as you love
him so much you will give it him, and not let
him be unhappy."

"And pray, little madam," asked Lady
Humphrey, with her hard mouth tightened, and her
chin at a right angle with her throat, "when
did you become my son's confidante?"

"He told me just now," said Hester, fading
under the angry eyes, but not flinching.

"He did?" said Lady Humphrey; "yet he
has not thought proper to mention the subject
to his mother. I am to give you money for him
because / love him so much. Pray, why do you
presume that I love him so much? Do you
love him yourself, little mistress?"

"No," said Hester, guiltily, hanging her
lead; "I like him very much, but I do not love
him. But then," she added, apologetically,
"you know I am not his mother, Lady
Humphrey. If I were his mother, I am sure I should
love him dearly; and I am sure I should give
him everything he asked for."

Lady Humphrey took one long look at the
pale, shrinking, persistent face, and said no
more. She had a stormy scene with her son
after that; but the debt (not so great as he had
described it) was paid.