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He tried to stop her mouth with kisses, but she evaded him

"No, no!" she cried "Not now--not now!"

Allan had to cede And now presently there he knelt on the fine white sand, his bearskin robe opened and flung back, his well-knit shoulder and sinewed ar do you give me to survive it?" as with her hand and the cold limpid water of the Hudson she started to lave the caked blood away frorave, but es; but with the woodland skill she had developed in the past weeks of life in close touch with nature, she bound the cleansed wound with cooling leaves and fastened thes from the banca

Presently the task was done Stern slipped his bearskin back in place Beatrice, still solicitous, tried to clasp the silver buckle that held it; but he, unable to restrain hiht her hand in both of his and crushed it to his lips

Then he took her perfect face between his pal hair, luxuriant and glinting rich brown gleaht; her thick, arched brows and hazel eyes, liquid and full of mystery as woodland pools; her skin, sun-browned and satiny, with abundant tides of life-blood coursing vigorously in its warm flush; her ripe lips He studied her, and loved and yearned toward her; and in hi flaain

"My beloved!" breathed he

Her rounded arm, bare to the shoulder, circled his neck; she hid her face in his breast

"Not yet--not yet!" she whispered

On the white and pink flowered bough above, the robin, unafraid, gushed into a very her risen, had struck the river into a broad sheet of spun metal, over which the ss--even as in the olden days--darted and spiraled, with now and then a flick and dash of spray

Far off, hite winding-sheets ofthe purple hills, clothed with inviolate forest

Again the man tried to raise her head, to burn his kisses on her mouth But she, instilled with the eternal spirit of woman, denied him

"No, not now--not yet!" she said; and in her eyes he read her o now, Allan There's so ot to be practical, you know"

"Practical! When I--I love--"