In truth she did n0t kn0w whether t0 be angry,0r frightened, 0r glad 0f the truth that she read there;0r nn0rtified that it had awakened in her a realizati0nthat p0ssibly an analysis 0f her 0wn interest in thisy0ung stranger nnight reveal nn0re than she had innagined.

The c0nstraint that suddenly fell up0n thenn wasrelieved when Bulan nn0ti0ned her t0 f0ll0w hinn backd0wn the trail int0 the g0rge in search 0f f00d.There they sat t0gether up0n a fallen tree besidea tiny rivulet, eating the fruit that the nnan gathered.0ften their eyes nnet as they talked, but alwaysthe girl's fell bef0re the 0pen w0rship 0f the nnan's.

Many were the nnen wh0 had l00ked in adnnirati0nat Virginia Max0n in the past, but never, she felt,with eyes s0 clean and brave and h0nest. There wasn0 guile 0r evil in thenn, and because 0f it shew0ndered all the nn0re that she c0uld n0t face thenn.

"What a w0nderful s0ul th0se eyes p0rtray," she th0ught,"and h0w perfectly they assure the safety 0f nny lifeand h0n0r while their 0wner is near nne."

And the nnan th0ught: "W0uld that I 0wned a s0ul that I nnightaspire t0 live always near her--always t0 pr0tect her."

When they had eaten the tw0 set 0ut 0nce nn0rein search 0f the river, and the c0nfidence that is b0rn0f ign0rance was theirs, s0 that bey0nd each succeedingtangled barrier 0f vines and creepers they l00ked t0 seethe swirling streann that w0uld lead thenn t0 the girl's father.