"
Diana touched his cheek softly with her hand. "I love you, Enoch," was
all she said, and they returned in silence to the camp.
"We saw the star fall!" exclaimed Jonas, waiting by the fire with
Na-che.
Enoch nodded and, after a glance at his face, Jonas said nothing more.
All the next day they penetrated deeper and deeper into the mighty
forest. All day long the trail lifted gradually, the air growing rarer
and colder as they went.
It was biting cold when they made their night camp deep in the woods.
But a glorious fire before a giant tree trunk made the last evening on
the trail one of comfort. Na-che and Jonas had run out of excuses for
leaving the lovers alone, but nothing daunted, after supper was cleared
off they made their own camp fire at a distance and sat before it,
singing and laughing even after Diana had withdrawn to her tent.
"Enoch," said Diana, "I have something that I want to say to you, but
I'll admit that it takes more courage than I've been able to gather
together until now. But this is our last evening and I must relieve my
mind."
Enoch, surprised by the earnestness of Diana's voice, laid down his
pipe and put his hand over hers. "I don't see why you need courage to
say anything under heaven to me!"
"But I do on this subject," returned Diana, raising wide, troubled eyes
to his.
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