At the top she halted, still longing to hear at his side that marvellous
wood-note, and was just starting on once more, when from the same
quarter as before it came again, with new and fervent clearness. With
noiseless foot she sprang back down the bendings of the path, having no
other thought but to find her brother standing as she had left him, a
rapt hearer of the heavenly strain.
She reached the spot, but found no hearkening or standing form. The
young man's stalwart frame lay prone on the green bank, where he had
thrown himself the moment she had left his sight, and his face was
buried in the deep moss.
The stir of her swift coming reached his ear barely in time for him,
as she choked down a cry that had all but escaped her, to turn upon
his back, meet her glance, and drive the agony from his face with a
languorous smile. The melting song pervaded the air, but neither of
them lifted a noting finger.
Leonard rose to his feet. Ruth gave him a hand and then its fellow, and
as he pressed them together she said, "I wish you _would_ go away
for a time."
He dropped one of her hands, and keeping the other, started slowly
homeward; and it was not until they had climbed half the ascent that,
with his most remote yet boyish smile, he replied, "I don't think I'd
better."
VI
IN THE PUBLIC EYE
August, September, October, November,--so passed the year in gorgeous
recession over Bylow Hill.
Pages:
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43