WITH CARL OF THE HILL 31 



his own reasons, though he kept them to himself. 

 He only repeated in his quiet way, "Yes, we will call 

 her Sunlight : it was sunlight when she came." 

 Sunlight therefore the child was called. 



Perhaps I need not dwell so lingeringly as Carl upon 

 those early days of little Sunlight's life. Imperial 

 babyhood— its history is one; differing in nothing 

 from that of all autocracies, but in the wiUing service 

 of its slaves. But for Carl a new vision of life was 

 opened up. 



It was not only the interest, which the boys shared 

 with him, in the little helpless presence that seemed 

 to make all gentler in that rude home ; it was not 

 even love parental, deep though that was and strong. 

 It was far, far more to Carl. 



For Carl of the day-dreams would look beyond the 

 present ; beyond even that happy time of her childhood 

 that was coming when he should mould and teach her 

 and give her all he might. He looked over this again 

 into the years that lay beyond when Sunlight should 

 have come to the majesty of maidenhood. He saw 

 her in touch with bird and flower and evening star — 

 the perfect expression of Nature's aim. He saw her 

 beautiful — the crown and music of all that forest's 

 life. She should be an artist, he would think, and 



