Her courage enchanted
Louis and filled him with a sense of security. She was not graceful in
these exercises. Her ankles were thick and clumsy. Not merely had she
no natural aptitude for physical feats--apparently she was not lissom,
nor elegant in motion. But what courage! What calm, bright endurance!
What stoicism! Most girls would have reproached him for betraying them
to destruction, would have pouted, complained, demanded petting and
apologies. But not she! She was like a man. And when he helped her
to pick herself up he noticed that after all she was both lissom and
agile, and exquisitely, disturbingly girlish in her short dusty skirt;
and that she did trust him and depend on him. And he realized that he
was safe for life with her. She was created for him.
Work was resumed.
"Now don't let go of me till I tell you," she enjoined lightly.
"I won't," he answered. And it seemed to him that his loyalty to her
expanded and filled all his soul.
Later, as she approached the other end of Park Road, near Moorthorne
Road, a tram-car hurled itself suddenly down Moorthorne Road and
overthrew her. It is true that the tram-car was never less than twenty
yards away from her. But even at twenty yards it could overthrow.
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