[CHAPTER V]
THE MAN WITH THE POCKETFUL OF QUARTERS REAPPEARS
The Lady Who Likes Little Boys went quickly into another room and took down from a closet shelf a little suit of clothes and gave way to tears, hugging the empty clothes desperately to her heart.
After a time, a big man with a brown mustache whose ends curled up, came into the room, looked down pityingly at her, then took her up in his arms like a little tired child and held her silently while she wept her heart out.
"You mustn't take his things out, Alice," said the man. "Not yet."
"I can't bear it, Alfred. I want him! I won't try not to think of him!"
Mr. Anning placed his wife gently in a chair and began to tell her about meeting a small boy in the field who was hunting for something he must not think about.
"For the birthdays he lost before he was big enough to know what it was?" said his wife smiling through her tears.
"Do you know him? Who is he?" asked Mr. Anning eagerly.