Page:The heart of Monadnock (IA heartofmonadnock00timl).pdf/56

 at the thwarting little ascent where his own trail ended.

Desolately Aeneas and Faithful Achates mounted the first steep places and stood peering eagerly through the wild forest scene where no human being seemed to have stood before. That dim track yonder must have been made by some wild beast of the forest. Plainly there was no way out. The trail ended. But suddenly, behold! down from the wooded heights above them came running lightly a radiant huntress, her raiment girt to her knee, and on her back a quiver of arrows while in her hand she held a slender bow; her shining hair was caught up under her pointed hunting-cap of green. In this human guise came Aphrodite, his goddess-mother, to the rescue of her son, unknown, to guide him in his despair. She answered his eager questions. No, the way was not blocked. Yes, there was a way out. This was not the unhabited wilderness which he thought it. That dim track was really a path and not made by prowling