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great deal of her tact and propriety has descended to you。 Only it
would have been nicer if she had given it to you； like pocket
money； as occasion requiredwhich you might have shared with me
than leaving it to you in one thumping legacy。〃
It was impossible to tell how far the playfulness of her brown eyes
suggested any ulterior meaning； for as Paul again eagerly drew
towards her； she sent her horse into a rapid canter before him。
When he was at her side again； she said； 〃There is still the ruin
to see on our way home。 It is just off here to the right。 But if
you wish to go over it we will have to dismount at the foot of the
slope and walk up。 It hasn't any story or legend that I know of； I
looked over the guide…book to cram for it before you came； but
there was nothing。 So you can invent what you like。〃
They dismounted at the beginning of a gentle acclivity； where an
ancient wagon…road； now grass…grown； rose smooth as a glacis。
Tying their horses to two moplike bushes； they climbed the slope
hand in hand like children。 There were a few winding broken steps；
part of a fallen archway； a few feet of vaulted corridor； a sudden
breachthe sky beyondand that was all！ Not all； for before
them； overlooked at first； lay a chasm covering half an acre； in
which the whole of the original edificetower turrets； walls； and
battlementshad been apparently cast； inextricably mixed and
mingled at different depths and angles； with here and there； like
mushrooms from a dust…heap； a score of trees upspringing。
〃This is not Timebut gunpowder；〃 said Paul； leaning over a
parapet of the wall and gazing at the abyss； with a slight grimace。
〃It don't look very romantic； certainly；〃 said Yerba。 〃I only saw
it from the road before。 I'm dreadfully sorry；〃 she added； with
mock penitence。 〃I suppose； however； SOMETHING must have happened
here。〃
〃There may have been nobody in the house at the time；〃 said Paul
gravely。 〃The family may have been at the baths。〃
They stood close together； their elbows resting upon the broken
wall； and almost touching。 Beyond the abyss and darker forest they
could see the more vivid green and regular lines of the plane…trees
of Strudle Bad； the glitter of a spire； or the flash of a dome。
From the abyss itself arose a cool odor of moist green leaves； the
scent of some unseen blossoms； and around the baking vines on the
hot wall the hum of apparently taskless and disappointed bees。
There was nobody in sight in the forest road； no one working in the
bordering fields； and no suggestion of the present。 There might
have been three or four centuries between them and Strudle Bad。
〃The legend of this place；〃 said Paul； glancing at the long brown
lashes and oval outline of the cheek so near his own； 〃is simple；
yet affecting。 A cruel； remorseless； but fascinating Hexie was
once loved by a simple shepherd。 He had never dared to syllable
his hopeless affection； or claim from her a syllabledperhaps I
should say a one…syllabledreply。 He had followed her from remote
lands； dumbly worshiping her； building in his foolish brain an air…
castle of happiness； which by reason of her magic power she could
always see plainly in his eyes。 And one day； beguiling him in the
depths of the forest； she led him to a fair…seeming castle； and；
bidding him enter its portals； offered to show him a realization of
his dream。 But； lo！ even as he entered the stately corridor it
seemed to crumble away before him； and disclosed a hideous abyss
beyond； in which the whole of that goodly palace lay in heaped and
tangled ruinsthe fitting symbol of his wrecked and shattered
hopes。〃
She drew back a little way from him； but still holding on to the
top of the broken wall with one slim gauntleted hand； and swung
herself to one side； while she surveyed him with smiling； parted
lips and conscious eyelids。 He promptly covered her hand with his
own； but she did not seem to notice it。
〃That is not the story；〃 she said； in a faint voice that even her
struggling sauciness could not make steadier。 〃The true story is
called 'The Legend of the Goose…Girl of Strudle Bad； and the
enterprising Gosling。' There was once a goose…girl of the plain who
tried honestly to drive her geese to market； but one eccentric and
willful gosling Mr。 Hathaway！ StoppleaseI beg you let me
go！〃
He had caught her in his armsthe one encircling her waist； the
other hand still grasping hers。 She struggled； half laughing；
yielded for a breathless moment as his lips brushed her cheek； and
threw him off。 〃There！〃 she said； 〃that will do： the story was
not illustrated。〃
〃But； Yerba；〃 he said； with passionate eagerness； 〃hear meit is
all God's truth。I love you！〃
She drew back farther； shaking the dust of the wall from the folds
of her habit。 Then； with a lower voice and a paler cheek； as if
his lips had sent her blood and utterance back to her heart； she
said； 〃Come； let us go。〃
〃But not until you've heard me； Yerba。〃
〃Well； thenI believe youthere！〃 she said； looking at him。
〃You believe me？〃 he repeated eagerly； attempting to take her hand
again。
She drew back still farther。 〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃or I shouldn't be
here now。 There！ that must suffice you。 And if you wish me still
to believe you； you will not speak of this again while we are out
together。 Come； let us go back to the horses。〃
He looked at her with all his soul。 She was pale； but composed；
andhe could seedetermined。 He followed her without a word。
She accepted his hand to support her again down the slope without
embarrassment or reminiscent emotion。 The whole scene through
which she had just passed might have been buried in the abyss and
ruins behind her。 As she placed her foot in his hand to remount；
and for a moment rested her weight on his shoulder； her brown eyes
met his frankly and without a tremor。
Nor was she content with this。 As Paul at first rode on silently；
his heart filled with unsatisfied yearning； she rallied him
mischievously。 Was it kind in him on this； their first day
together； to sulk in this fashion？ Was it a promise for their
future excursions？ Did he intend to carry this lugubrious visage
through the Allee and up to the courtyard of the hotel to proclaim
his sentimental condition to the world？ At least； she trusted he
would not show it to Milly； who might remember that this was only
the SECOND TIME they had met each other。 There was something so
sweetly reasonable in this； and withal not without a certain
hopefulness for the future； to say nothing of the half…mischievous；
half…reproachful smile that accompanied it； that Paul exerted
himself； and eventually recovered his lost gayety。 When they at
last drew up in the courtyard； with the flush of youth and exercise
in their faces； Paul felt he was the object of envy to the
loungers； and of fresh gossip to Strudle Bad。 It struck him less
pleasantly that two dark faces； which had been previously regarding
him in the gloom of the corridor and vanished as he approached；
reappeared some moments later in Yerba's salon as Don Caesar and
Dona Anna； with a benignly different expression。 Dona Anna
especially greeted