...
Her eyes turned back to the trail across the top of the Mountain, and
in the distance she saw a buggy against the sky. She knew its antique
outline, and the gaunt build of the old horse pressing forward with
lowered head; and after a moment she recognized the heavy bulk of the
man who held the reins. The buggy was following the trail and making
straight for the pine-wood through which she had climbed; and she knew
at once that the driver was in search of her. Her first impulse was
to crouch down under the ledge till he had passed; but the instinct of
concealment was overruled by the relief of feeling that someone was near
her in the awful emptiness. She stood up and walked toward the buggy.
Mr. Royall saw her, and touched the horse with the whip. A minute or two
later he was abreast of Charity; their eyes met, and without speaking he
leaned over and helped her up into the buggy.
She tried to speak, to stammer out some explanation, but no words came
to her; and as he drew the cover over her knees he simply said: "The
minister told me he'd left you up here, so I come up for you.
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