man was earnest
and careful in his work, and the merchant approved of him, and his
fellow-slaves liked him. But Ma Pa Da, the merchant's daughter, fell in
love with him. The slave was much troubled at this, and he did his best
to avoid her; but he was a slave and under orders, and what could he do?
When she would come to him secretly and make love to him, and say, 'Let
us flee together, for we love each other,' he would refuse, saying that
he was a slave, and the merchant would be very angry. He said he could
not do such a thing. And yet when the girl said, 'Let us flee, for we
love each other,' he knew that it was true, and that he loved her as she
loved him; and it was only his honour to his master that held him from
doing as she asked.

But because his heart was not of iron, and there are few men that can
resist when a woman comes and woos them, he at last gave way; and they
fled away one night, the girl and the slave, taking with them her jewels
and some money. They travelled rapidly and in great fear, and did not
rest till they came to a city far away where the merchant would never,
they thought, think of searching for them.

Here, in this city where no one knew of their history, they lived in
great happiness, husband and wife, trading with the money they had with
them.

And in time a little child was born to them.

About two or three years after this it became necessary for the husband
to take a journey, and he started forth with his wife and child. The
journey was a very long one, and they were unduly delayed; and so it
happened that while still in the forest the wife fell ill, and could not
go on any further. So the husband built a hut of branches and leaves,
and there, in the solitude of the forest, was born to them another
little son.

The mother recovered rapidly, and in a little time she was well enough
to go on. They were to start next morning on their way again; and in the
evening the husband went out, as was his custom, to cut firewood, for
the nights were cold and damp.

Ma Pa Da waited and waited for him, but he never came back.

The sun set and the dark rose out of the ground, and the forest became
full of whispers, but he never came. All night she watched and waited,
caring for her little ones, fearful to leave them alone, till at last
the gray light came down, down from the sky to the branches, and from
the branches to the ground, and she could see her way. Then, with her
new-born babe in h