Fiction > Book editions > London, 1893 - Catriona

CHAPTER XXVIII.
IN WHICH I AM LEFT ALOXE.
I OPENED the door to Ctitriona and stopped licr on
the threshold.
" Your father Vv^shes us to take our walk;' said I.
She looked to James More, who nodded, and at
that, like a trained soldier, she turned to go with me.
We took one of our old ways, wdiere we had gone
often together, and been more happy than I can tell
of in the past. I came a half a step behind, so that I
could watch her unobserved. The knocking of her
little shoes upon the way sounded extraordinary
pretty and sad ; and I thought it a strange moment
that I should be so near both ends of it at once, and
walk in the midst between two destinies, and could not
tell whether I was hearing these steps for the last
time, or whether the sound of them was to go in and
out with me till death should part us.
She avoided even to look at me, only walked
before her, like one Avho had a guess of what was
coming. I saAv I must speak soon before my courage
was run out, but where to begin I knew not. In this
painful situation, when the girl was as good as forced
into my arms and had already besought my for-
bearance, any excess of pressure must have seemed
indecent ; yet to avoid it wholly v>'ould have a very