“I see. Shook her mother out of her dreams.”
“Not entirely. I think the improvement comes more 288 from her firm conviction that you are to bring her husband with you, and Amalia agrees with me. If you have an excuse that will satisfy her––”
“I see. She was satisfied in her mind that he was alive and would come to her––I see. Keep her quiet until I wake up and then we’ll find a way out––if the truth is impossible. Now I’ll sleep––for a day and a night and a day––as long as I’ve been on that forced march. It was to go back, or try to push through––or die––and I pushed through.”
“Don’t sleep until I’ve brought you some hot broth. I’m sure they have it down there.”
“I’ll be glad of it, yes.”
But he could not keep awake. Before Harry could throw another log on the fire he was asleep. Then Harry gently drew an army blanket over him and went out to the stable. There he saddled his own horse and led him toward the cabin. Before he reached it he saw Amalia coming to meet him, hobbling on her crutch. She was bareheaded and the light of morning was in her eyes.
“Ah, ’Arry, ’Arry King! He has come. I see here marks of feet of horses in the snow––is not? Is well? Is safe? Larry Kildene so noble and kind! Yes. My mother? No, she prepares the food, and me, I shut the door when I run out to see is it sun to-day and the terrible snow no more falling. There I see the marks of horses, yes.” She spoke excitedly, and looked up in Harry’s face with smiles on her lips and anxious appeal in her eyes.
“Throw down that crutch and lean on me. I’ll lift you up––There! Now we’ll go back to the cabin and lead 289 Goldbug around a bit, so his tracks will cover the others and account for them. Then after breakfast I’ll take you to the top of the trail and tell you.”
She leaned down to him from her seat on the horse and put her hand on his shoulder. “Is well? And you––you have not slept? No?”
Looking up in her face so wonderful and beautiful, so filled with tender solicitude for him, and her glowing eyes fixed on his, he was covered with confusion even to scarcely comprehending what she said. He took the hand from his shoulder and kissed the tips of her fingers, then dropped it and walked on ahead, leading the horse.