Part 42 (1/2)
”You are not coming with me!” she exclaimed, shaking herself free of his hand.
”I am coming,” he replied, calmly, though he was not calm. ”Take my arm, Babbie.”
She made a last effort to free herself from bondage, crying pa.s.sionately, ”I will not let you come.”
”When I say I am coming,” Gavin answered between his teeth, ”I mean that I am coming, and so let that be an end of this folly. Take my arm.”
”I think I hate you,” she said, retreating from him.
”Take my arm,” he repeated, and, though her breast was rising rebelliously, she did as he ordered, and so he escorted her from the garden. At the foot of the field she stopped, and thought to frighten him by saying, ”What would the people say if they saw you with me now?”
”It does not much matter what they would say,” he answered, still keeping his teeth together as if doubtful of their courage. ”As for what they would do, that is certain; they would put me out of my church.”
”And it is dear to you?”
”Dearer than life.”
”You told me long ago that your mother's heart would break if----”
”Yes, I am sure it would.”
They had begun to climb the fields, but she stopped him with a jerk.
”Go back, Mr. Dishart,” she implored, clutching his arm with both hands. ”You make me very unhappy for no purpose. Oh, why should you risk so much for me?”
”I cannot have you wandering here alone at midnight,” Gavin answered, gently.
”That is nothing to me,” she said, eagerly, but no longer resenting his air of proprietors.h.i.+p.
”You will never do it again if I can prevent it.”
”But you cannot,” she said, sadly. ”Oh, yes, you can, Mr. Dishart. If you will turn back now I shall promise never to do anything again without first asking myself whether it would seem right to you. I know I acted very wrongly to-night.”
”Only thoughtlessly,” he said.
”Then have pity on me,” she besought him, ”and go back. If I have only been thoughtless, how can you punish me thus? Mr. Dishart,” she entreated, her voice breaking, ”if you were to suffer for this folly of mine, do you think I could live?”
”We are in G.o.d's hands, dear,” he answered, firmly, and he again drew her arm to him. So they climbed the first field, and were almost at the hill before either spoke again.
”Stop,” Babbie whispered, crouching as she spoke; ”I see some one crossing the hill.”
”I have seen him for some time,” Gavin answered, quietly; ”but I am doing no wrong, and I will not hide.”
The Egyptian had to walk on with him, and I suppose she did not think the less of him for that. Yet she said, warningly--
”If he sees you, all Thrums will be in an uproar before morning.”
”I cannot help that,” Gavin replied. ”It is the will of G.o.d.”
”To ruin you for my sins?”