“But, uncle,” I murmured, full of wonder which had had no time to take shape, “how is it?”
He answered in a whisper that seemed to dread the ear of the wind, lest it should hear him--
“I saw you upon Death away there in the middle of the lightning. I was going to you. I don't know what to think.”
My uncle and I often called the horse by his English name.
“Neither do I,” he returned, with a strange half voice, as if he were choking. “It must have been--I don't know what. There is a deep bog away just there. It must be a lake by now!”
“Yes, uncle; I might have remembered! But how was I to think of that when I saw you there--on dear old Death too! He's the last of horses to get into a bog: he knows his own weight too well!”
“But why did you come out on such a night? What possessed you, little one--in such a storm? I begin to be afraid what next you may do.”
“I never do anything--now--that I think you would mind me doing,” I answered. “But if you will write out a little book of _mays_ and _maynots_, I will learn it by heart.”
“No, no,” he returned; “we are not going back to the tables of the law! You have a better law written in your heart, my child; I will trust to that.--But tell me why you came out on such a night--and as dark as pitch.”
“Just because it was such a night, uncle, and you were out in it,” I answered. “Ain't I your own little girl? I hope you ain't sorry I came, uncle! I am glad; and I shouldn't like ever to be glad at what made you sorry.”
“That I came--because I've found you. I came to look for you.”
“Why did you come to-night more than any other night?”
“Because I wanted so much to see you. I thought I might be of use to you.”
“You are always of use to me; but why did you think of it just to-night?”
“I don't know.--I am older than I was last night,” I replied.
He seemed to understand me, and asked me no more questions.
All the time, we had been standing still in the storm. He took Zoe's head and turned it toward home. The dear creature set out with slow leisurely step, heedless apparently of storm and stable. She knew who was by her side, and he must set the pace!
As we went my uncle seemed lost in thought--and no wonder! for how could the sight we had seen be accounted for! Or what might it indicate?