Come and Find Me [Illustration: Hildegarde] Come and Find Me By Elizabeth Robins Author of “The Magnetic North,” “The Convert,” etc. With Illustrations by E. L. Blumenschein “I ... had ambition not only to go farther than any one had been before; but as far as it was possible for man to go....” CAPTAIN COOK. “Det er et svært vejarbejde—oppe i det norlige. Med fjeldovergange—og med de utroligste vanskeligheder at overinde! Å du store, vakkre verden,—hvad det er for en lykke, det, at være vejbygger!” LILLE EYOLF. New York The Century Co. 1908 Copyright, 1907, 1908, by THE CENTURY CO. _Published, February, 1908_ THE DE VINNE PRESS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Hildegarde _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE “Mar’s eyes looked over the little boy’s head into space” 36 “It was the teacher of arithmetic to the life, only it was Bella Wayne” 56 “The two girls sat in front of the confident young face looking out of the silver locket” 100 “‘Brethren,’ he said, ‘the angel of the Lord has been with me. He has shown me great riches’” 186 “‘I know you’ll do your best for me,’ Hildegarde said, anxiously” 232 Hildegarde’s mother and Mr. Blumpitty 278 “Nearer, my God, to Thee” 412 “Coolies crawled up the ladder with vast burdens” 426 “‘I suppose you think I have something very valuable here?’” 474 “Hildegarde’s ankle turned more than once, and now she was almost down” 518 _TO FLORENCE BELL_ CHINSEGUT, HERNANDO COUNTY, FLORIDA Jan. 20, 1906 MY DEAR F. B.: I believe it to be commonly the practice of authors to write the dedication last. But I, being summoned by the laconic imperative of the Atlantic cable to exchange London for Florida, and being thereby arrested midway in what I have always thought of as your book, must needs recover some of the old impulse that you gave me to begin it, before I can go on.