Greatheart," she said, "but I
am past help. Nothing you can do will make any difference to me now."
"Come with me nevertheless!" he said.
He laid a gentle hand upon her shoulder, and she winced with a sharpness
that tore his heart. But in a moment she turned beside him and began the
ascent, slowly, labouringly, as if every step gave her pain. He moved
beside her, supporting her elbow when she faltered, steadily helping her
on.
They entered the wood, and the desolate sighing of the wind encompassed
them. Dinah looked at her companion with the first sign of feeling she
had shown.
"I must sit down," she said.
"There is a fallen tree over there," he said, and guided her towards it.
She leaned upon him, very near to collapse. He spread his coat upon the
tree and helped her down.
"Now how long is it since you had anything to eat?" he said.
She shook her head slightly. "I don't remember. But it doesn't matter.
I'm not hungry."
He took one of her icy hands and began to rub it. "Poor child!" he said.
"You ought to be given some hot bread and milk and tucked up in bed with
hot bottles."
Her face began to work. "That," she said, "is the last thing that will
happen to me."
"Haven't you been to bed at all?" he questioned.
Her throat was moving spasmodically; she bowed her head to hide her face
from him. "Yes," she said in a whisper. "My mother--my mother put me
there.
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