"Then I hope he's not."
"Who is he?" he asked.
"My sweetheart—the man I'm going to marry—if he's alive," she answered, simply.
"Oh! Great God in heaven!" he said, and he held out his hands to the rising sun, gazing out on the smiling valley and beautiful hills in the peaceful stillness of the early dawn.
CHAPTER II
They wended their way slowly down the steep path, the girl giving little gasps of pain at every few steps.
"Look here!" he said, "you're damaged. Let me carry you."
"I'm all right. I've got a pain, that's all."
"Rot!" he said, and without more ado he picked her up in his arms. She was very light considering the strength she had displayed. "Say how you are easiest," he said.