en of Cassandra.

CHAPTER VII

IN WHICH FRALE GOES DOWN TO FARINGTON IN HIS OWN WAY

Frale felt himself exalted by the oath he had sworn to Cassandra, as if
those words had lifted the burden from his heart, and taken away the
stain. As he walked away in his disguise, it seemed to him that he had
acted under an irresistible spell cast upon him by this Englishman, who
was to bide so near Cassandra--to be seen by her every day--to be
admired by her, while he, who had the first right, must hide himself
away from her, shielding himself in that man's clothes. Fine as they
seemed to him, they only abashed him and filled him with a sense of
obligation to a man he dreaded.

Like a child, realizing his danger only when it was close upon him, his
old recklessness returned, and he moved down the path with his head held
high, looking neither to the right nor to the left, planning how he
might be rid of these clothes and evade his pursuers unaided. The men,
climbing toward him as he descended, hearing his footsteps above them,
parted and stood watching, only half screened by the thick-leaved
shrubs, not ten feet from him on either side; but so elated was he, and
eager in his plans, that he passed them by, unseeing, and thus Thryng's
efforts saved him in spite of himself; for so amazed were they at the
presence of such a traveller in such a place that they allowed him to
pass unchallenged until he was too far below them to make speech
possible. Later, when they found David seated on his rock, they assumed
the young man to be a friend, and thought no further of it.

Frale soon left the path and followed the stream to the head of the
fall, where he lingered, tormented by his own thoughts and filled with
conflicting emotions, in sight of his home.

To go down to the settlement and see the world had its allurements, but
to go in this way, never to return, never to feel again the excitement
of his mountain life, evading the law and conquering its harassments,
was bitter. It had been his joy and delight in life to feel himself
masterfully triumphant over those set to take him, too cunning to be
found, too daring and strong to be overcome, to take desperate chances
and win out; all these he considered his right and part of the game of
life. But to slink away like a hunted fox followed by the dogs of the
law because, in a blind frenzy, he had slain his own friend! What if he
had promised to repent; there was the law after him st