crawling on hands and knees in mortal terror from the battlefield, suddenly came upon them.
In her surprise and joy over his protection Angela failed to note at first the meaning of his sudden appearance.
“O my Tommaso!” she cried, throwing herself into his arms.
He held her close for a moment and whispered excitedly:
“I come to take you home, my Angela. You will be killed—you must not be here—”
It was not until he had spoken that the wife caught the note of cowardly terror in his voice. Her arms slipped slowly from his neck.
He hurried to repeat his warning:
“You must go quick, my Angela!”
The wife searched his soul and he turned away. She put her hand on his shoulder and her own eyes filled with tears.