when you are gone I shall have no friend left in this wilderness, shall
I?"

Again Richard looked at her, and saw that her sweet grey eyes were full of
tears. Then there rose within the breast of this lad who, be it
remembered, was verging upon manhood, a sensation strangely similar, had
he but known it, to that which had been experienced an hour or two before
by the child at his side when she watched him sleeping in the cave. He
felt as though these tear-laden grey eyes were drawing his heart as a
magnet draws iron. Of love he knew nothing, it was but a name to him, but
this feeling was certainly very new and queer.

"What have you done to me?" he asked brusquely. "I don't want to go away
from you at all, which is odd, as I never liked girls much. I tell you,"
he went on with gathering vehemence, "that if it wasn't that it would be
mean to play such a trick upon my father, I wouldn't go. I'd come with
you, or follow after--all my life. Answer me--what have you done?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," said Rachel with a little sob, "except tie up
your arm."

"That can't be it," he replied. "Anyone could tie up my arm. Oh! I know it
is wrong, but I hope I shan't be able to overtake the waggons, for if I
can't I will come back."

"You mustn't come back; you must go away, quite away, as soon as you can.
Yes, as soon as you can. Your father will be very anxious," and she began
to cry outright.

"Stop it," said Richard. "Do you hear me, stop it. I am not going to be