ons, and the slave who
followed the North Star through the swamp and bed of the black stream
must have felt warmed and comforted by its near and tremulous light,
only later to see it grow distant and cold. So Hertha looked to the
stars for light and courage and with pounding heart at length reached
her trysting-place.

He had not come. It was the hour, she felt sure, for she had set her
watch by the clock in the living-room of the great house. He had never
been late in the morning. Perhaps Miss Patty had detained him, or his
father; sometimes they sat up for a long time, though, she thought,
never so late as this. But he must soon arrive when she would no longer
be alone, but safe from fear with him.

Waiting, she cheered her heart recalling the many pretty things that he
had said to her. Whether, knowing her station as a servant, he realized
that she was happy to be wholly lifted from it, or whether he believed
her really to be above any other woman, he never failed to call her by
some new and lovely name. Yesterday she had been the good fairy who
brought him her best gift in her outstretched hands. Though it was
chill, she threw off her dark coat and in her white dress ran for a
minute out beyond the cypress into the grove. She longed to dance, to
sing, to call him to her in the stillness of the night. Moving a little
among the trees and peering down the long vista of straight trunks and
arching branches, within her heart she pleaded with him to hurry, not to
let her stay here alone. But no figure came to meet her, only a firefly
twinkled in the distance, and above her head a mockingbird gave a sleepy
chirp. The earth was asleep, breathing deep, fragrant breaths, wrapped
in the soft air of night. She only was alert, listening, a vivid spirit
of wakefulness in the deserted grove.

Returning to the gloom of the cypress she put on her coat and waited,
slow-ticking minute following slow-ticking minute, until the young moon
set and the chill wind made her shiver and crouch in terror and
loneliness and miserable shame.

The night that had been so still as she crept back was full of evil
noises. The sand crackled under her feet, and the twigs upon which she
stepped gave a quick, explosive sound. Sometimes she imagined she heard
people coming toward her and left the path for the trees, to wait in
trembling terror until the fancied tread had died away. In one of these
manoeuvers she lost her bearing and stood for many minu