"On my word of honour, I am not jesting."
His ardent gaze corroborated those words, and, with a sudden feeling of dread, she ran past him, and flitted rapidly up the path. Dan feared that he had offended her, and this fear became certainty the next moment. She fled like an angered goddess.
"Meg, Meg!" he cried earnestly; "don't run away! Don't be angry with me! What have I done?"
The girl turned at the top of the path, and the sunlight fell on her face. She looked rather scared than angry, but frowned when she saw him take a step forward as to follow. With an imperative gesture she bade him halt, and the next moment vanished from his sight. Then Dan raged at himself loudly.
"Oh, I am a beast and a brute and a dishonourable wretch!" said he, dashing down his cap. "How could I be such a fool as to frighten her? Yet how could I help it? The thing came on me all of a sudden. She won my heart from me with her song. I suspected this before, but now I am certain. Mother Jericho's prophecy is fulfilled. I am in love! I have met my fate!"
From the near wood floated the fragment of the song--
"Ah, joy, how happy shall we be,
When once again in Arcady."
"It is an omen," said Dan, thankfully, and was greatly comforted.