st settling among the trees spread cloud
behind her. What I wanted was this woman, to hide in the woods for my
own. I could feed and clothe her, deck her with necklaces of garnets
from the rocks, and wreaths of the delicate sand-wort flower. She said
she would rather make Paul a woodchopper than a suppliant, taking the
constitutional oath. I could make him a hunter and a fisherman. Game,
bass, trout, pickerel, grew for us in abundance. I saw this vision with
a single eye; it looked so possible! All the crude imaginings of youth
colored the spring woods with vivid beauty. My face betrayed me, and
she spoke to me coldly.

"Is that your house, monsieur?"

I said it was.

"And you slept there last night?"

"I can build a much better one."

"What did you have for dinner?"

"Nothing."

"What did you have for breakfast?"

"Nothing."

Evidently the life I proposed to myself to offer her would not suit my
lady!

She took a lacquered box from the cover of her wrappings, and moved down
the slope a few steps.

"Come here to your mother and get your supper."

I felt tears rush to my eyes. She sat down, spread a square of clean
fringed linen upon the ground, and laid out crusty rounds of buttered
bread that were fragrant in the springing fragrance of the woods, firm
slices of cold meat, and a cunning pastry which instantly maddened me. I
was ashamed to be such a wolf.

We sat with our forest table between us and ate together.

"I am hungry myself," she said.

A glorified veil descended on the world. If evening had paused while
that meal was in progress it would not have surprised me. There are half
hours that dilate to the importance of centuries. But when she had
encouraged me to eat everything to the last crumb, she shook the
fringed napkin, gathered up the lacquered box, and said she must be
gone.

"Monsieur, I have overstepped the bounds of behavior in coming after
you. The case was too urgent for consideration of myself. I must hurry
back, for the count's people would not understand my secret errand
through the tunnel. Will you show yourself at the house as soon as
possible?"

I told her humbly that I would.

"But let me put you in the boat, madame."

She shook her head. "You may follow, after I am out of sight. If you
fail to follow"--she turned in the act of departing and looked me
through.

I told her I would not fail.

When Madame de Ferrier disappeared beyond the bushes I sat down and
waited