“Are you, too, a good man who has done a deed against the law of your land?”
The big man looked off a moment, then down at her with a little smile playing about his lips. “I never did a deed against the law of any land that I know of, but as for the good part––that’s another thing. I may be fairly good as goodness goes.”
“Goodnessgoes!” She repeated after him as if it were one word from which she was trying to extract a meaning. “Was it then to flee from the wicked world that you lived all the twenty years thus alone?”
“Hardly that, either. To tell the truth, it may be only a habit with me.”
“Will you forgive me that I asked? It was only that to me it has been terrible to live always in hiding and fear. I love people, and desire greatly to have kind people near me,––but of the world where my father and mother lived, and at the court––and of the nobles, of all these I am afraid.”
“Yes, yes. I fancy you were.” A grim look settled about his mouth, although his eyes twinkled kindly. He marveled to think how trustingly they accompanied him into this wilderness––but then––poor babes! What else could they do? “You’ll be safe from all the courts and nobles in the world where I’m taking you.”
“That is why my eyes do not weep for my father. He is now gone where none can find him but God. It is very terrible that a good man should always hide––hide and live in fear––always––even from his own kinsmen. I understand some of the sorrows of the world.”
“You’ll forget it all up there.”
“I will try if my mother recovers.” She drew in her breath with a little quivering catch.