g, and then, "Isn't it cold."

"Come near the fire," he answered. "I've built it up while you were
asleep."

She came, trailing the blanket in a languid hand, and sat beside him.
He drew it up about her shoulders and looked into her face. Meeting
his eyes she broke into low laughter, and leaning nearer to him
murmured in words only half articulated:

"Oh, David, I'm so sleepy."

He took her hand, and it stayed unresisting against his palm. She
laughed again, and then yawned, lifting her shoulders with a supple
movement that shook off the blanket.

"It takes such a long time to wake up," she murmured apologetically.

David made no answer, and for a space they sat silent looking at the
sunset. As the mists of sleep dispersed she became aware of his hand
pressure, and the contentment that marked her awakening was marred.
But she felt in a kindly mood and did not withdraw her hand. Instead,
she wanted to please him, to be as she thought he would like her to be,
so she made a gallant effort and said:

"What a wonderful sunset--all yellow to the middle of the sky."

He nodded, looking at the flaming west. She went on:

"And there are little bits of gold cloud floating over it, like the
melted lead that you pour through a key on all Hallowe'en."

He again made no answer, and leaning nearer to spy into his face, she
asked naively:

"Don't you think it beautiful?"

He turned upon her sharply, and she drew back discomposed by his look.

"Let me kiss you," he said, his voice a little husky.

He was her betrothed and had never kissed her but once in the
moonlight. It was his right, and after all, conquering the inevitable
repugnance, it did not take long. Caught thus in a yielding mood she
resolved to submit. She had a comforting sense that it was a rite to
which in time one became accustomed. With a determination to perform
her part graciously she lowered her eyelids and presented a dusky
cheek. As his shoulder touched hers she felt that he trembled and was
instantly seized with the antipathy that his emotion woke in her. But
it was too late to withdraw. His arms closed round her and he crushed
her against his chest. When she felt their strength and the beating of
his heart against the unstirred calm of her own, her good resolutions
were swept away in a surge of abhorrence. She struggled for freedom,
repelling him with violent, pushing hands, and exclaiming breathlessly:

"Don't, David! Stop! I w