Page:The woman, the man, and the monster (IA womanmanmonster00dawe).pdf/282

 IX

Turovues the woods he flew, over the heath- lands, calling “Andromeda! Andromeda!” Trembling he listened for the reply, but no sound reached him. Each nook, each spot which she had consecrated by her presence, and which had now become holy ground to him, he visited in turn, but caught neither sight nor sound of her. Nor of that other, the pursuer, the man who had hunted her down at last. How he hated him! Both had disappeared, swallowed up as it were by the fast-descend- ing night.

He maintained his search until a late hour, but without success. Then slowly he dragged a weary body and a more weary mind back to the cottage. Could she by any chance have returned? It was a faint hope, almost still- born. He could not think that she would re- turn, though there was the desperate hope that she might crawl back to him.