Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/320

 300 o'clock. Eat what you can, and then lie down on the blankets and rest. We will not leave here until just before dark."

"And you?"

"Oh, I may doze later if there is no alarm; I shall never be far away."

She ate of the coarse food daintily, apparently without appetite, but I did full justice to the meal, satisfied, for the time being at least, that we were securely hidden. The horses munched at the sweet grass behind us, and a ray of sunshine found way through the leaves overhead, and lay in bar of gold across her hair. In spite of her long vigil the girl's face bore few marks of fatigue, and her eyes, occasionally lifted to meet mine, were not heavy with sleep. I endeavored to talk, to speak lightly on inconsequential topics, but her brief responses were not encouraging. There was a strange constraint between us, and, finally, hoping to make her feel more at ease, I ventured to broach the subject which I knew must be also uppermost in her mind.

"It is an odd situation in which we find ourselves," I began awkwardly, my eyes on the ground, "but I hope you—you will not feel embarrassed, or—or fail to have complete confidence in me. I—I have no wish to take any advantage; or—or assume any authority."