"We have come to the end of things," said the man quietly. "This that was my wife——"
"As I am Leo's wife," said the Girl quickly, her eyes staring.
"—— was my wife, has been killed by one of your Houses." The man set down his burden, and laughed.
"Which House?" said Leo angrily, for he hated all the Houses equally.
"You are Gods, you should know," said the man. "We have lived together and loved one another, and I have left a good farm for my son: what have I to complain of except that I still live?"
As he was bending over his wife's body there came a whistling through the air, and he started and tried to run away, crying, "It is the arrow of the Archer. Let me live a little longer—only a little longer!" The arrow struck him and he died. Leo looked at the Girl, and she looked at him, and both were puzzled.
"He wished to die," said Leo. "He said that he wished to die, and when Death came he tried to run away. He is a coward."
"No, he is not," said the Girl; "I think I feel what he felt. Leo, we must learn more about this for their sakes."
"For their sakes," said Leo, very loudly.
"Because we are never going to die," said the Girl and Leo together, still more loudly.