Anthony put his arm round Urith. "We stand," said he, "on the edge of a chasm; a step, a start, and one or other--perhaps both--fall into the abyss to sheer destruction. Let me hold you; I would not let you go--if you went, it would not be alone."
Urith did not answer; a trembling fit came on her. She stood, she felt, at the brink of another precipice than that before her eyes.
"I could not keep away," said Anthony. "I have got into trouble with every one, and I was afraid that you also would be set against me; so, after I had been to see about your father's grave, that all was right there--and Bessie had laid a garland of flowers on it--then I came back here. I thought I must see you and explain what I forgot to say this morning."
"You need say no more about that matter," answered Urith. "I told you at the time that I believed your word. You said you intended no ill. I am sure of that, quite sure. I know it is not in you to hurt."
"And yet I have hurt you and your mother, and also Fox Crymes." Then he told her how he had struck him, and that he was afraid he had seriously injured his eye.
"And you have brought back the gloves!" exclaimed Urith.
"I will do it if you wish it; I have not done it yet. I was going to give Fox the gloves; I did not desire to see Julian. You must understand that my father has been speaking to me to-day about Julian--it seems he has set his mind on making a pair of us. I do not know what Julian thinks, but I know my own mind, that this is not my taste. After he had spoken to me about her, I could not go on direct to her house and see her. My father would think that I gave in to him, and--I should have been uneasy myself."
Urith said nothing, she was looking down at the tossing, thundering torrent far below.
"I never cared much for Julian," continued Anthony, "and after yesterday I like her less."
"Why so?" Urith looked up and met his eyes.
"Why so? Because I have seen you. If I have to go through life with any one, I will take you in the saddle behind me--no one else."
Urith trembled more than before; a convulsive, irrepressible emotion had come over her. Sometimes it happens when the heavens are opened with a sudden flare of near and dazzling lightning, that those who have looked up have been struck with blindness. So was it now; Urith had seen a heaven of happiness, a glory of love--a new and wondrous world open before her, such as she had never dreamed of, of which no foretaste had ever been accorded her, and it left her speechless, with a cloud before her eyes, and giddy, so that she held out her hands gropingly to catch the rock; it was unnecessary, the strong arm of Anthony held her from falling.