e close to his, crying out: "Velasco! Velasco!"

Then she saw that he had fainted again; from his forehead a dark stream
was gushing slowly; and when she touched it, it was warm and wet. She
gave a little cry.

The horses galloped on, but the sleigh moved more smoothly and slid
over the icy surface of the snow. Kaya wound the reins about the
dash-board. They were quiet now, let them gallop! She bent again over
her companion and, taking the snow that lay on the side of the sleigh,
she bathed the wound with it, staunching the flow with her
handkerchief, holding his head against her breast.

"Velasco!" she whispered low, as if afraid he might waken and hear: "It
is better now. The wound has stopped bleeding--only a drop or two
comes on my handkerchief! You struck it on the runners as you fell; I
will bind it now with my scarf. Velasco--dear Velasco! Open your eyes
and look at me--smile at me! We are safe. We are alone in the forest
and the horses are galloping. Soon we shall be at the station--in the
train! A few hours from the frontier--only a few hours--Velasco!"

He stirred in her arms and moaned, and his eye-lids quivered as if
trying to open. Kaya took the scarf from her waist and began to wind
it slowly about the wound on his forehead. Her breath came in little
gasps through her parted lips.

"Have I your blood too on my hands, Velasco? Ah, waken and look at me!
We have only a few hours more together--a few hours! Then you will
never see me again. Never--never!"

She clasped him closer to her breast and bent over him in terror.
"Don't die, Velasco! The wound has stopped bleeding. Why don't you
open your eyes? Don't die! If you die I shall die too. I love you,
Velasco! I love you--I love you!"

She laid her cheek to his cold one and tried to warm it. She covered
him with her cloak. It grew darker and colder, and the horses galloped
on. Presently he stirred again in her arms and opened his eyes, and
they looked at one another.

"Kaya" he said, "I heard you--I heard you!"

She shrank back away from him: "You heard--me?" she stammered.

Then he fainted again.

The horses galloped on. The fields of snow stretched in the distance,
the frost on the surface glittering like myriads of tiny dew-drops.
Through the inky blackness of the clouds the moon shone out fitfully,
Streaking the road with flashes of light, pale and shadowy. Ahead
gleamed the lamps of the station. The hoofs rang o