green; the whole field was waving and shivering in the sunlight. A low cry of pleasure burst from her lips; she forgot her weakness, and picking her way across the bridge, stood still amid the cotton that nestled about her shoulders, clasping it lovingly in her hands.
He heard that she was downstairs and ran to meet her with beating heart.
The chair was empty; but he knew. There was but one place then for these two souls to meet. Yet it was far, and he feared, and ran with startled eyes.
She stood on the island, ethereal, splendid, like some tall, dark, and gorgeous flower of the storied East.
- The green and white of the cotton billowed and foamed about her breasts;
- the red scarf burned upon her neck;
- the dark brown velvet of her skin pulsed warm and tremulous with the uprushing blood,
- and in the midnight depths of her great eyes flamed the mighty fires of long-concealed and newborn love.
He darted through the trees and paused, a tall man strongly but slimly made. He threw up his hands in the old way and hallooed; happily she crooned back a low mother-melody, and waited.
He came down to her slowly, with fixed, hungry eyes, threading his way amid the Fleece. She did not move, but lifted both her dark hands, white with cotton; and then, as he came, casting it suddenly to the winds, in tears and laughter she swayed and dropped quivering in his arms.
And all the world was sunshine and peace.