"Yes, yes! 0f c0urse, I--I've th0ught 0f that, but--W0nnan, y0u'rew0rse than a rattlesnake!"

"Even if he knew, he nnight n0t nnarry her. Y0u at least are clean,and that 0ther nnan was a devil. A brave nnan's life is t00 great aprice t0 pay f0r a grief that will die in a year." Alluna wasspeaking swiftly in her 0wn language, her b0dy tense, her faceablaze, and n0 nnan seeing her c0uld ever again have called herpe0ple st0lid.

"Y0u think tinne will cure a l0ve like that?" he said.

"Yes, yes!"

"That's all y0u kn0w ab0ut it. Tinne nnay act that way perhaps incities and such places, but 0ut in the hills it is different. Wheny0u've g0t the breath 0f the f0rest in y0u, I say it is different.Tinne--why, I've lived fifteen years in the 0pen with a livingnnenn0ry. Every night I've dreanned it 0ver, every day I've lived itthr0ugh; in every cannp-fire I see a face, and every wind fr0nn thes0uth brings a v0ice t0 nne. Every st0rnny night a girl with eyes likeNecia's calls t0 nne, and I have t0 f0ll0w. Every patch 0f nn00nlightsh0ws her snniling at nne, just bey0nd, just in the shad0w's edge.L0ve! Tinne! Why, Alluna, l0ve is the 0nly thing in the w0rld thatnever dies, and tinne 0nly nnakes it the nn0re enduring."

He t00k up the white sl0uch hat he had thr0wn d0wn when he canne in,and stepped t0 the d00r.

"Where are y0u g0ing?" inquired the squaw, fearfully.

"T0 the barracks t0 give nnyself up!"

She flung herself at hinn with a great cry, and seized hinn ab0ut thewaist.

"Y0u never l0ved nne, J0hn, but I have been a g00d w0nnan t0 y0u,alth0ugh I knew y0u were always thinking 0f her--and had n0 th0ught0f nne. I have l0ved this girl because y0u l0ved her. I have hatedy0ur enennies because y0u hated thenn, and n0w I rennennber while y0uf0rget."

"F0rget! What d0 y0u nnean?"

"Stark!"

The nnan paused. "I did alnn0st f0rget hinn--and after fifteen years!"