The low-burning night-lamp was placed in the chimney corner, and the house locked up for the night. Peace and quiet soon reigned in the house where our worn-out travelers had found their well-earned rest.
CHAPTER XIV
MORTON’S sleep was heavy but restless. He had thrown himself down, glad of the chance to rest, with his mind still busied over the day’s happenings, and doubting if he had done right in relying on his host, Toni, to keep a careful watch during the night. He had not “sworn” the man, so that he was uncertain if the fellow would keep his word. He fell asleep with the question and he awoke with it. It had kept his mind working even in his slumbers. He sat up quite wide awake with all his faculties keenly alert. The sonorous breathing of Donald jarred on his ears. In the distance he heard the baying of a hound. Had they been followed? They were but a little way from the border, and a quick raid could undo all that had been done. He determined to satisfy himself that all was right.
Dressing hurriedly he seized his rifle and throwing a rug over his shoulders slipped out of the room quietly, withdrew the heavy bolts of the entrance door and locked it after him. It was a beautiful moonlight night. As he stepped into the open, the faithful house dog came bounding towards him and licked his hand. Morton stroked the animal’s head affectionately as it followed him in the tour he made round the house. As he had suspected, he found no one on the lookout. Toni had, evidently, preferred the comforts of a warm bed to breathing the cold night air.
Well, there was nothing for it but to keep watch himself. He found a wooden bench opposite the garden, and wrapping the rug about him, sat down with his rifle across his knees. The stillness and the glory of the night soothed his tired mind. Now and again he would doze off, but he quickly roused himself. Once again he thought of the strange adventure of the past days. If anyone had told him a month ago that he would be acting the part of a knight-errant he would have laughed in scorn. That he of all men should have done this thing!
He could not help smiling at the situation in which he now found himself. And yet—why not? Would he be deserving the name of a man if he had left these two helpless creatures to their fate? Two—nay, one! And his heart filled with tenderness as he thought of Helène—the beautiful child-woman; so lovely a being, so lovable a girl, so noble a woman. How brave she had been; how splendid in her self-sacrificing devotion to her friend, the Princess! Surely, there was no other like her in this wide world!
What did it mean? Was this love? If it was, then, certainly it had been love at first sight. Strange that he, the practical man of the world, should have so easily succumbed to this mysterious power! What would his father have said to him?
The question was but a natural one, but he did not know that however experienced and worldly-wise a man may be, the heart of him ages less than does the mind. And he had kept his heart pure in spite of the world of business in which his father lived. To the young and pure in heart Love is the one power which must be obeyed; for that is nature’s wonderful way of preserving her own. That is the meaning of woman. Strive as we will in our efforts to escape, unless some ignoble passion such as the craving for gold or power deadens the soul within us, we must serve God; and we can only serve him through Love.