“But I don’t understand why Nesta was in the cave,” Maida declared in a puzzled tone. Silva closed her eyes for a moment and she sighed. It was a long sigh and a weary one to come from a little girl’s lips. “We’ve kept her there a month,” she said. “We stole her--Tyma and I.” “_Stole_ her!” Maida echoed in a shocked tone. “Stole her! From whom?” “From my father,” Silva answered and two big tears formed slowly in her eyes. They hung on the end of her long lashes but they did not drop. Maida handed Silva her handkerchief. Silva wiped the tears away. No more came, and she went on with her story in a perfectly composed way. “It’s a queer story to tell and--and I’m so ashamed. You see my mother died last February when Nesta was about three months old. After mother’s death, we had all the care of her--Tyma and I. It was very hard because my father--” She stopped for an instant and seemed to choke on what she was going to say. Then she went on steadily. “My father began to get drunk--more and more-- But that wasn’t the worst. He began to treat us badly--and I was always worried about Nesta--sometimes I was afraid he’d hurt her-- Sometimes--” She stopped and looked at Maida imploringly. Maida nodded as though she understood. “He was worse to Tyma though, and so Tyma ran away. He joined Aunt Save and she told him to stay with them. One day he was exploring the woods and he discovered that cave. Well things got worse and worse at home-- And-- And-- And then father told me he was going to be married again. I didn’t like the--the one he was going to marry. I knew she didn’t mind his drinking. She--used to drink too. She didn’t like me--nor Tyma--nor Nesta. I could see that she didn’t want the care of Nesta. Tyma and I could take care of ourselves, but I knew she would be cruel to Nesta.” Silva paused; for this time it was Maida’s eyes that filled. Silva held out Maida’s handkerchief and Maida took it; and wiped her tears away. “Go on,” Maida said. “Tyma came back one night very late. Father never knew he was there. He threw pebbles against my window and I came out and talked to him. He told me a plan. It was for us to run away and take Nesta with us and keep her hidden in the cave. He said he’d take the baby first. Then after a few days, I was to go to live with Aunt Save. You see if I was to run away with the baby, father would know. But if the baby was stolen while I was with him and when he thought Tyma was with Aunt Save, he could not blame it onto either of us.” “Oh Silva!” Maida gasped. “What a terrible thing to do-- I mean--” She thought an instant. “What a terrible thing to _have_ to do! How could you do it? I couldn’t.”