him."

'"Sit down for a moment or two," I entreated.

'"No, no! I am quite ready. See," she added quietly, "I am quite
strong."

'I set off by a short cut leading to her home, hoping the men would be
there before us; but, passing me, she walked swiftly through the trees,
and I followed in fear. As we came near the main path I heard the sound
of feet, and I tried to stop her, but she, too, had heard and knew. "Oh,
let me go!" she said piteously; "you need not fear." And I had not
the heart to stop her. In a little opening among the pines we met the
bearers. When the men saw her, they laid their burden gently down upon
the carpet of yellow pine-needles, and then, for they had the hearts of
true men in them, they went away into the bushes and left her alone
with her dead. She went swiftly to his side, making no cry, but kneeling
beside him she stroked his face and hands, and touched his curls with
her fingers, murmuring all the time soft words of love. "O my darling,
my bonnie, bonnie darling, speak to me! Will ye not speak to me just one
little word? O my love, my love, my heart's love! Listen, my darling!"
And she put her lips to his ear, whispering, and then the awful
stillness. Suddenly she lifted her head and scanned his face, and then,
glancing round with a wild surprise in her eyes, she cried, "He will not
speak to me! Oh, he will not speak to me!" I signed to the men, and as
they came forward I went to her and took her hands.

'"Oh," she said with a wail in her voice; "he will not speak to me."
The men were sobbing aloud. She looked at them with wide-open eyes of
wonder. "Why are they weeping? Will he never speak to me again? Tell