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"Good-bye, Alcie. To-morrow you tell me more all about the little girl." The words dropped quietly into the sleeping ear and the boy turned his face. "To-morrow tell about little girl..." he murmured and was asleep. Achilles passed swiftly out of the hospital through the sun-glinting wards, out to the free air his heart choking him.
When the boy opened his eyes again she was sitting very quiet, her hands in her lap, her eyes fixed on the river that flowed beyond the garden. The boy's eyes studied her face. "Once I saw you " he said. His hand stole out and touched the grey dress. Miss Stone started. They had waited a long time but not for this. "Yes, Alcie, once you saw me go on "
Then his eye paused a boy was breaking through the crowd hatless, breathless and calling him with swift gesture. Achilles sprang forward. "What is it, Alcie?" His eye was searching the crowd, and his hand dropped to the boy's shoulder. "There they are!" gasped the boy. "There!" Achilles's eye gleamed down the street, a little way off, a car was wheeling out from the curb gathering speed.
The boy's face had gained clear freshness and his eyes, fixed on Miss Stone's face, glowed. "I like it here," he said. "Yes, Alcie." Miss Stone bent toward him. "You are getting strong every day you will soon be able to walk to-morrow, perhaps." She glanced at the thin legs under their light covering. The boy laughed a little and moved them. "I can walk now " he declared. But she shook her head.
The long silence spread between them. The bird sang in the wood a clear, mid-summer call. The boy listened, and turned his eyes. "A little girl with you then," he said softly, "in carriage. Where is little girl?" It was the first question he had asked. She swayed a little in her grey softness but she did not look at him, but at the river. "You would like that little girl, Alcie," she said quietly.
They shout and hit cart and swear and I lie on ground." His lifted eyes seemed to be looking up at some great object passing close above him... and a look of dread held them. He drew a quick breath. "They bad men " he said. "Little girl cry!" Achilles bent forward, holding his breath. "What was it Alcie?" The boy's eyes turned toward him trustingly. "They hurt bad," he said. "I try I run "
Yaxis nodded and produced a pot of forget-me-nots. He had been tending them for three weeks for Alcie. They bent over the pot, blue with blossoms, talking eager words and little gestures and quick laughs. And Achilles, coming out, smiled at the two heads bending above the plant. Yaxis had been lonely but now the little laughs seemed to stir softly in the close rooms and wake something happy there.
The sun warm as Athens shone down, waiting, while the boy turned slowly on his side... his eyes had grown dark. "I try remember" His voice was half a whisper, " but it runs away!" The eyes seemed to be straining to see something beyond them through a veil. Achilles's hand passed before them and shut them off. "Don't try, Alcie. Never mind it's all right. Don't mind!"
"Do you what to go home, Alcie?" The face smiled at him. "Don't you like it here?" A gesture touched the garden. "I like yes. I go home with you," he said simply. "You must stay till you are strong," said the father, watching him. "You were hurt, you know. It takes time to get strong.... You remember that you were hurt?" The words dropped slowly, one by one, and the day drowsed.
Achilles closed the door softly and turned to him. "Tell me, Yaxis, what happened," he said. The boy's face opened dramatically. "I look up I see Alcie like that " his gesture fitted to the room "He stand in door all covered mud blood run cart broke no fruit no hat."
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