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Rh from wild places far away, blew her hair about her face.

At last she came to a little rustic gate, leading into a shadowy wood-lane. The gate was bound with willow withes, and, as Sara fumbled vainly at them with her chilled hands, a man’s firm step came up behind her, and Lige Baxter’s hand closed over her’s.

“Oh, Lige!” she said, with something like a sob.

He opened the gate and drew her through. She left her hand in his, as they walked through the lane where lissome boughs of young saplings flicked against their heads, and the air was wildly sweet with the woodsy odors.

“It’s a long while since I’ve seen you, Lige,” Sara said at last.

Lige looked wistfully down at her through the gloom.

“Yes, it seems very long to me, Sara. But I didn’t think you'd care to see me, after what you said last spring. And you know things have been going against me. People have said hard things. I’ve been unfortunate, Sara, and may be too easy-going, but I’ve been honest. Don’t believe folks if they tell you I wasn’t.”

“Indeed, I never did — not for a minute!” fired Sara.

“I’m glad of that. I’m going away, later on. I