still closer to his heart. He was trembling from head to foot; his head swam with a strange intoxication, his heart throbbed at twice its normal rate. He had suddenly got into a world of enchantment. Life expanded with a new meaning and significance. It did not matter for the moment who this fair creature was or where she lived. He had got possession of her; her arms were about his neck, her head rested on his shoulder, her face was close to his, her breath fanned his cheek, he could feel the beating of her heart against his own. He marched over the brow of the hill and down the other side in a kind of ecstasy. He waited for her to speak again, but for some reason she kept silent. He felt her fingers clutch the back of his neck, and every now and then a feeble sigh escaped her lips. "Are you in pain?" he asked at length. "I think I can bear it," she answered feebly. "I wish I could carry you more gently," he said, "but the ground is very rough." "Oh, but you are splendid!" she replied. "I wish I had not been rude to you." He gave a big gulp, as though a lump had risen in his throat. "Don't say that again, please," he said at length. "I feel bad enough to drown myself." She did not reply again, and for a long distance he walked on in silence. He was almost ready to drop, and yet he was scarcely conscious of fatigue. It seemed to him as though the strength of ten men had been given to him. "We shall be in the high road in a few minutes now," he said at length; but she did not reply. Her hands seemed to be relaxing their hold about his neck again; her weight had suddenly increased. He staggered hurriedly forward to the junction of the roads, and then sat down suddenly on a bank, still holding his precious charge in his arms. He shifted her head a little, so that he could look at her face. She did not attempt to speak, though he saw she was quite conscious. "There's some kind of vehicle coming along the road," he said at length, lifting his head suddenly. She did not reply, but her eyes seemed
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