Between Snow and Fire — page 68: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

eS ‘TWEEN SNOW AND FIRE. . He had warned his cousin and his warning had been scouted. He had struggled with a temptation not to warn him, but now it came to the same thing, and at any rate his own hands were clean. The journey to Komgha was long, and in these times for a man so hated as Tom Carhayes, might not be altogether safe, especially towards dusk. Well, he had been warned. Eustace had purposely taken time over attending to his horse. Even his strong nerves needed a little getting in hand before he should meet Eanswyth that morning ; even his pulses beat quicker as he drew near the house. Most men would have been eager to get it over; would have blundered it over. Notso this one. Not without reason had the Kafirs nicknamed him ‘“ Ixeshane ’’—the Deliberate. Eanswyth rose from the table as he entered. Breakfast was over, and Tom Carhayes, with characteristic impulsive- ness, had started off upon his journey with a rush, as we have seen. Thus once more these two were alone together, not amid the romantic witchery of the southern night, but in the full broad light of day. Well, and then? Had they not similarly been together alone countless times during the past year? Yes, but now it was different—widely different. The ice had been broken between them. Still, one would hardly have suspected it. Eanswyth was perfectly calm and composed. ‘There was a tired look upon the sweet face, and dark'circles under the beautiful eyes as if their owner had slept but little. Otherwise both her tone and manner were free from any trace of confusion. “T have put your breakfast to the kitchen fire to keep warm, Eustace,’’she said. ‘Well, what adventures have you met with in the ve/ét this morning ?” “First of all, how good of you. Secondly—leaving my adventures in abeyance for the present—did you succeed in getting any rest ?”’ He was looking straight at her. There wasa latent caress in his glance—in his tone. “Not much,” she answered, leaving the room for a moment in order to fetch the hot dish above referred to. “It was a trying sort of a night for us all, wasn’t it?” she resumed as she returned. “ And now Tom must needs go rushing off again on a fool’s errand.” “Nevermind Tom. A little blood-letting seems good EORNIC ICO KS (Elo) m