Part 43 (1/2)
”What are you?” ”Your friend.”
”Is it you who followed me up the valley?”
”Yes.”
”Come into the light. I must see you.” A faint laughter reached her from the dark.
”I cannot let you do that. If that had been possible I should have come to you before.”
”But I feel--I feel almost as if you are a ghost and no man of flesh and blood.”
”It is better for you to feel that way about it,” said the voice solemnly, ”than to know me.”
”At least, tell me why you have followed me, why you have cared for me.”
”You will hate me if I tell you, and fear me.”
”No, whatever you are, trust me. Tell me at least what came to d.i.c.k Wilbur?”
”That's easy enough. I met him at the river, a little by surprise, and caught him before he could even shout. Then I took his guns and let him go.”
”But he didn't come back to me?”
”No. He knew that I would be there. I might have finished him without giving him a chance to speak, girl, but I'd seen him with you and I was curious. So I found out where you were going and why, and let Wilbur go. I came back and looked at you and found you asleep.”
She grew cold at the thought of him leaning over her.
”I watched you a long time, and I suppose I'll remember you always as I saw you then. You were very beautiful with the shadow of your lashes against your cheek--almost as beautiful as you are now as you stand over there, fearing and loathing me. I dared not let you see me, but I decided to take care of you--for a while.”
”And now?”
”I have come to say farewell to you.”
”Let me see you once before you go.”
”No! You see, I fear you even more than you fear me.” ”Then I'll follow you.”
”It would be useless--utterly useless. There are ways of becoming invisible in the mountains. But before I go, tell me one thing: Have you left the cabin to search for Pierre le Rouge in another place?”
”No. I do not search for him.”
There was an instant of pause. Then the voice said sharply: ”Did Wilbur lie to me?”
”No. I started up the valley to find him.”
”But you've given him up?”
”I hate him--I hate him as much as I loathe myself for ever condescending to follow him.”