Did that mean she was going to try to keep him captive? After all, how could she stop him from simply walking out? She didn't know, but until he did depart, she would take care of him.

The man finished the loaf of bread, and Colene returned to the house to get more food. She couldn't take anything else that would be missed; it would be difficult enough ex -- plaining the bread. She found some old cookies, and some leftover casserole in the back of the refrigerator; she could say it was getting moldy so she threw it out. It was getting moldy, but she trimmed off the mold and took it anyway. She was an old hand at trimming mold, because her mother con --

stantly forgot things; she knew it wasn't anything to freak out about.

The man was glad to have the additional food. But he re -- mained weak, and she knew she couldn't send him back out into the world. He would just collapse again.

But there was something she had to make clear to him. How could she establish communication, so as to tell him

what she needed to? For the fact was that her parents would be getting home soon, and if the man showed himself, the game would be up. He had to remain hidden.

Well, all she could do was try. First maybe they could exchange names. She tapped herself on the breastbone: "Col --

ene. Colene." Then she pointed to him.

He looked at her, then tapped himself similarly. "Col -- ene."

Oops. She cast about for something else. She picked up a notepad and pencil, and quickly drew two figures, one small and female, the other larger and male. She pointed to herself, then to the female. "Me. Colene." Then to the male. "You."

She paused expectantly.

He took the paper. "Me. Colene," he said, pointing to the female. "You. Darius."

Well, it was progress. "Me Colene, girl," she said, tap -- ping herself again. "You Darius, man."

He nodded, pointing to her. "Me -- "

"No, you." He looked perplexed, but managed to get it. "You Colene girl. Me Darius man."

She smiled. "Yes." It was a beginning. He did not know her language, but he could leam. She drilled him on Yes and No until she was sure he understood them, and tested him on the picture of the horse on the wall, titled "For Whom Was That Neigh?" "Man?" she asked, pointing to it. No. "Girl?" No. "Horse?" Yes. He had it straight. Then she gave her message. She opened the door and pointed to the house beyond. "House. Colene. Yes.

House. Darius. No."

After some back-and-forth, he seemed to understand. But he seemed uneasy, even uncomfortable.

"What's the matter?" she asked.