"No, no, not at all. But you, you are suffering; they struck
you!" she cried in sharp alarm.

He stepped back and drew his hand across his brow.

"No, it is not that," he spoke rapidly now, with his hands
clenched at his side. "But if they had hurt you, I would beat
their brains out with my hands. I would kill them all. I
was never afraid before. You are the only beautiful thing that
has ever come close to me. You came like an angel out of the sky.
You are like the music you sing, you are like the stars and the
snow on the mountains where I played when I was a little boy. You
are like all that I wanted once and never had, you are all that
they have killed in me. I die for you tonight, tomorrow, for all
eternity. I am not a coward; I was afraid because I love you more
than Christ who died for me, more than I am afraid of hell, or hope
for heaven. I was never afraid before. If you had fallen--oh, my
God!" He threw his arms out blindly and dropped his head upon the
pony's mane, leaning ]imply against the animal like a man struck
by some sickness. His shoulders rose and fell perceptibly with his
laboured breathing. The horse stood cowed with exhaustion and
fear. Presently Margaret laid her hand on Eric's head and said
gently:

"You are better now, shall we go on? Can you get your horse?"

"No, he has gone with the herd. I will lead yours, she is not
safe. I will not frighten you again." His voice was still husky,
but it was steady now. He took hold of the bit and tramped home in
silence.