When she recovered, she found herself in the same spot, with her head on
Robin's shoulder. Her spirits were relieved by a burst of tears; and,
withdrawing her head, she wept plentifully in her hands, heedless of the
drops that crept through her small fingers, and fell abundantly on the
white silk petticoat the waiting-maid so highly prized. Robin had always
thought her beautiful, but he had never avowed it to himself so
decidedly as now. Her long, luxuriant hair, no longer twisted and
flattened under her Puritan cap, flowed over the simple, but, to Robin's
eyes, superb dress in which she was arrayed; the drapery rather added
to, than lessened, the pure and holy look which is the soul and essence
of virgin loveliness; and he never felt his own worthlessness so much,
as while thus contemplating Barbara at the very moment when she was a
thousand times dearer to him than ever.
She was the first to speak, as passing her hand over her eyes, then
looking up between their long silken lashes, smiling as a young child at
the danger that was past, and retaining only the remembrance of it,
because it brought to her gentle and affectionate mind another proof of
Robin's attachment and protecting care, she stretched out her hand, all
gemmed as it was, and sobbed, even while smiling,-"Dear, good Robin! he would have killed me. Are you quite sure he is
gone? Come near me, Robin; he will not come back while you are here. I
am sure he mistook me for some one else, for--" she spoke in a low tone,
"I saw him once before, Robin Hays," still lower, "at the Gull's Nest
Crag, only last night."
"I knew the little rascal was after no good; and to pretend dumbness
too!"
"Dumbness!" repeated Barbara. "Did he pretend to be dumb?--and do you
know him?"
"I do know that he, in some degree, stole his passage over in---- But
no matter; I'll clip his wings, and blunt his dagger, I warrant me; he
shall play no more such pranks. To frighten you, my Barbara!--what
could be the motive? serious injury he could not intend."
"Ah, Robin!" said Barbara, shuddering, "you did not see his eyes as I
did, or you would not say so; such eyes! Ah, I should have been
bitterly frightened had I not prayed this morning. Dear Robin, why do
you not pray?"
Robin looked at her and sighed--"Could you understand nothing of what he
said?" inquired he.