"
Jolly Roger made no answer, but held her a long time in his arms,
with the soft beating of her heart against him, and listened to
the twitter and song of nesting and mating things about them. In
this silence she lay content, until Peter--growing restless--
started quietly into the golden depths of the forest.
It was Pied-Bot's going, cautious and soft-footed, as if danger
and menace might lurk just ahead of him, that brought another look
into McKay's eyes as Nada's hand crept to his cheek, and rested
there.
"You love me--very much?"
"More than life," he answered, and as he spoke he was watching
Peter, questing the soft wind that came whispering from the south.
Her finger touched his lips, gentle and sweet.
"And wherever you go, I go--forever and always?" she questioned.
"Yes, forever and always"--and his eyes were looking through miles
upon miles of deep forest, and at the end he saw the thin and
pitiless face of a man who was following his trail, Breault the
Ferret.
His arms closed more tightly about her, and he pressed her face
against him.
"And I pray God you will never be sorry," he said, still looking
through the miles of forest.
"No, no--sorry I shall never be," she cried softly. "Not if we
fly, and go hungry, and fight--and die. Never shall I be sorry--
with you," and he felt the tightening of her arms.
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