equal in
the end, and to keep up with him was all I could do. At the finish he
became silent and cautious, first entering the belt of trees leading
away through the low range of hills at the southern extremity of the
wood. For a mile or upwards we trudged on in the shade; then I began
to recognize familiar ground, the old trees under which I had walked
or sat, and knew that a hundred yards further on there would be a first
glimpse of the palm-leaf thatch. Then all weakness forsook me; with a
low cry of passionate longing and joy I rushed on ahead; but I strained
my eyes in vain for a sight of that sweet shelter; no patch of pale
yellow colour appeared amidst the universal verdure of bushes, creepers,
and trees--trees beyond trees, trees towering above trees.

For some moments I could not realize it. No, I had surely made a
mistake, the house had not stood on that spot; it would appear in sight
a little further on. I took a few uncertain steps onwards, and then
again stood still, my brain reeling, my heart swelling nigh to bursting
with anguish. I was still standing motionless, with hand pressed to my
breast, when Nuflo overtook me. "Where is it--the house?" I stammered,
pointing with my hand. All his stolidity seemed gone now; he was
trembling too, his lips silently moving. At length he spoke: "They
have come--the children of hell have been here, and have destroyed
everything!"

"Rima! What has become of Rima?" I cried; but without replying he walked
on, and I followed.

The house, we soon found, had been burnt down. Not a stick remained.
Where it had stood a heap of black ashes covered the ground--nothing
more. But on looking round we could discover no sign of human beings
having recently visited the spot. A rank growth of grass and herbage now
covered the once clear space surrounding the site of the dwelling, and
the ash-heap looked as if it had been lying there for a month at least.
As to what had become of Rima the old man could say no word. He sat down
on the ground overwhelmed at the calamity: Runi's people had been there,
he could not doubt it, and they would come again, and he could only look
for death at their hands. The thought that Rima had perished, that she
was lost, was unendurable. It could not be! No doubt the Indians tract
come and destroyed the house during our absence; but she had returned,
and they had gone away again to come no more. She would be somewhere in
the forest, perhaps not far off, imp