All her thoughts
had been concentrated upon the man below her. But this distant cry
brought her back, and sharply she turned.
Again came the cry, unmusical, insistent. She glanced nervously around,
but met only the bright eyes of a squirrel on a branch above her.
Again it came, arrogantly this time, almost imperiously. It seemed to
warn her that there was no time for indecision. She felt as though some
mysterious power were drawing her, and, gathering her strength, she
began impetuously to mount the hill that stretched up behind her,
covered with pine trees as far as she could see. It was slippery with
pine needles, and she stumbled a good deal, but she faltered no longer
in her purpose. She had done with indecision.
She had climbed some distance before she heard again the guiding signal.
It sounded away to her right, and she turned aside at once to follow it.
In that instant, glancing downwards through the long, straight stems,
she saw Fletcher far below, just entering the wood. Her heart leapt
wildly at the sight. She almost stopped in her agitation. But the
discordant bird-call sounded yet again, louder and more compelling than
before, and she turned as a needle to a magnet and followed.
The growth of pine trees became denser as she proceeded. It seemed to
close her in and swallow her. But only once again did fear touch her,
and that was when she heard Fletcher's voice, very far away but
unmistakable, calling to her by name.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137