"
He ceased to speak, and stood regarding me with a smile upon his
rugged face. I took his hand and raised it to my lips. "I owe you
more than I can ever pay," I said. "Where is she, my friend?"
"Not far away," he answered. "We sought the centre of the wood,
and because she was so chilled and weary and shaken I did dare to
build a fire there. Not a foe has come against us, and we waited
but for the dusk of this evening to try to make the town. I came
down to the stream just now to find, if I could, how near we were
to the river" -
He broke off, made a gesture with his hand toward one of the long
aisles of pine trees, and then, with a muttered "God bless you
both," left me, and going a little way down the stream, stood with
his back to a great tree and his eyes upon the slow, deep water.
She was coming. I watched the slight figure grow out of the dusk
between the trees, and the darkness in which I had walked of late
fell away. The wood that had been so gloomy was a place of
sunlight and song; had red roses sprung up around me I had felt no
wonder. She came softly and slowly, with bent head and hanging
arms, not knowing that I was near. I went not to meet her, - it was
my fancy to have her come to me still, - but when she raised her
eyes and saw me I fell upon my knees.
For a moment she stood still, with her hands at her bosom; then,
softly and slowly through the dusky wood, she came to me and
touched me upon the shoulder.
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