aside the leaves of the trackless
wood, and ran forward with white arms outstretched to him who was lord
of her life.

[Illustration: SHE HAUNTED HIM LIKE HIS SHADOW]

With cold eyes and colder heart the one she loved beheld her.

"Away!" he cried, shrinking back as if from something that he hated.
"_Away!_ I would rather die than that you should have me!"

"_Have me!_" cried Echo pitifully, but she pled in vain. Narcissus had
no love to give her, and his scorn filled her with shame. Thenceforth
in the forest revels she never more was seen, and the nymphs danced
gaily as ever, with never a care for her who had faded and gone away
as completely as though she were a blossom in the passing of spring.
In the solitude of mountain cliffs and caves and rocky places, and in
the loneliest depths of the forest, Echo hid her grief, and when the
winds blew through the dark branches of the trees at night, moaning
and sighing, they could hear far below them the voice of Echo
repeating their lamentations. For her, long nights followed hopeless
days, and nights and days only told her that her love was all in vain.
Then came a night when the winds no longer saw the figure of the
nymph, white and frail as a broken flower, crouching close to the
rocks they passed over. Grief had slain the body of Echo. Only her
voice was left to repeat their mocking laughter, their wistful
sighs--only her voice that lives on still though all the old gods are
gone, and but few there are who know her story.

Heartwhole and happy, Narcissus, slayer of happiness, went on his
way, and other nymphs besides fair Echo suffered from loving him in
vain. One nymph, less gentle than Echo, poured the tale of her love
that was scorned into the sympathetic ears of the goddess of Love, and
implored her to punish Narcissus.

Hot and tired from the chase, Narcissus sought one day a lonely pool
in the woods, there to rest and to quench his thirst.

"In some delicious ramble, he had found
A little space, with boughs all woven round;
And in the midst of all, a clearer pool
Than e'er reflected in its pleasant cool
The blue sky here, and there, serenely peeping
Through tendril wreaths fantastically creeping."

As he stooped down to drink, a face looked at his through the crystal
clear water, and a pair of beautiful eyes met his own. His surprise
and joy at the sight of what he felt sure must be the most beautiful
creature on earth, was eviden