the bandage under the arm, and
this, by Katrine's directions, Stephen did, with trembling fingers.
Talbot had turned away from them, and occupied himself by fixing up the
door and stuffing the chinks where the wood had broken. When this was
done and the bandaging finished, Stephen brought a shawl from the other
room and wrapped it round the girl's shoulders, and they all drew in
round the fire in a close circle with their cups in their hands.

Their common danger and the sudden realisation of how much they were,
each of this lonely trio, to the other; how easily any one of them might
have been taken from the circle that night, and how irreparable would
have been the loss, drew them all closely together as they had never
been before--that delicious chord of sweet human sympathy that lies deep
down, but ever present, in the human breast, vibrated strongly in their
hearts, and they sat round the cheery blaze, talking and laughing
softly, and looking at one another, and then smiling as their eyes met,
for mere lightheartedness.

CHAPTER VI

MAMMON'S PAY

This little excitement quite delighted and pleased Katrine. She had
spoken just the truth when she said she wished something like it would
happen every day; and the only thing that spoilt the fun of it was
Stephen's dejection and the persistently depressed way he looked and
felt over it. After a day or two the pleasant sense of life having
something worth living for passed away again, and the time seemed
heavier and slower than ever. Day followed day in a dreadful monotony,
and the girl visibly lost health and spirits. She changed a good deal,
and both men noticed it. She lost her wonderful sweetness and evenness
of temper and her bright smiles, and became fretful and irritable,
discontented, and sharp in her replies. In the long winter mornings now
she would not spring up in the early darkness as formerly, but try to
fall asleep again after waking, and put her arm across Stephen and tell
him there was no use of getting up, that the day was long enough anyway,
and it was too dark to do anything; and then she would abuse him if he
insisted on getting up in spite of her, and let the breakfast wait so
long, that after a time the men drifted into the habit of having it
alone, and going out without seeing her. Katrine had grown to hate the
day, to hate every minute in fact when she was not sleeping, and to try
to make the night last as long as possible. Stephen noti