And as the deep gloom enveloped him more densely,
and he felt himself slipping down through it, he whispered to the
faces which he could no longer see,
"Kazan--died--to-night--"
For a long time Jan fought to throw off the darkness, and when he
succeeded, and opened his eyes again, he knew that it was Melisse who
was sitting beside him, and that it was Melisse who flung her arms
about him when he awoke from his strange sleep, and held his wild head
pressed against her bosom--Melisse, with her glorious hair flowing
about her as he had loved it in their old days, and with the old love
shining in her eyes, only more glorious now, as he heard her voice.
"Jan--Jan--we have been hunting for you--so long," she cried softly.
"We have been searching--ever since you left Lac Bain. Jan, dear Jan,
I loved you so--and you almost broke my heart. Dear, dear Jan," she
sobbed, stroking his face now, "I know why you ran away--I know, and I
love you so that--that I will die if--you go away again."
"You know!" breathed Jan. He was in his cot, and raised himself,
clasping her beautiful face between his two hands, staring at her with
the old horror in his eyes. "You know--and you come--to me!"
"I love you," said Melisse. She slipped up to him and laid her face
upon his breast, and with her fingers clutched in his long hair she
leaned over to him and kissed him.
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