, and in my visions when I have been riding over these hills alone.
What are you seeing now?"

"You, as you helped me that first time, there in the snow. You looked so
ill, but your way was strong, and I thought--all at once, in a
flash--like it came from--"

"Go on."

"Like it came from my father: 'One will come for you.'" She hid her face
in his bosom, and her words came smothered and brokenly, "All the ride
home I put them away, but they would come back, his words: 'On the
mountain top, one will come for you'; but we were in such trouble--I
thought it was just the thought of my father. It's always strongest when
trouble comes, like he would comfort me."

"Don't you have it also when happiness comes to you, as on this morning
while we waited together?"

"No great happiness like this ever came before. I have been glad, like
when mother said I might go to Farington to school; and when I knelt and
was confirmed, I was glad then. The first gladness I can remember was
when my father used to carry me in his arms up and down his path and
repeat strange poetry to me. When you are well, we will go there, won't
we?"

"Yes, dearest; but didn't the remembrance come to you just now, when you
saw the long path of light before us?"

"I think no, David. I'm afraid I forgot every one but you then, when you
asked would I like to bide here with you; and the long path of light was
our love--for it reaches up to heaven, doesn't it, David?"

"It reaches to heaven, Cassandra."

Then they were silent, for there was no more to say.

CHAPTER XXI

IN WHICH THE SUMMER PASSES

Midsummer arrived, and David, healed of his wounds, pronounced himself
as "strong as a cricketer." What he meant by that Hoyle could only
conjecture, and, after much pondering, decided that his strength was now
so great that should he desire to do so, he could leap into the air or
jump long distances after the manner of crickets.

"You reckon you could jump as fer in one jump now as from here to
t'other side the water trough yandah?" he asked one day, as they sat on
the porch steps together.

"No, I don't reckon so," said David, laughing.

"Well, could you jump ovah this here house and the loom shed in one
jump?"

"I don't reckon so."

"Be sensible, honey son. You mustn't 'low him to ax ye fool questions,
Doctah. You knows they hain't nobody kin do such as that, Hoyle," called
his mother from within.

"He has some idea in his head. What is i