Her pride and injured heart rose
up and choked her.
He let go her hand. Now his face was partly turned from her, and she saw
how thin and pale it was. She saw, too, what I had seen during the past
week, that his hair had become almost white about the temples; and the
moveless sadness of his position struck her with unnatural force, so
that, in spite of herself, tears came suddenly to her eyes, and a slight
moan broke from her. She would have run away; but it was too late.
He saw the tears, the look of pity, indignation, pride, and love in her
face.
"My love!" he cried passionately. He opened his arms to her.
But she stood still. He came very close to her, spoke quickly, and almost
despairingly: "Ruth, I love you, and I have wronged you; but here is your
place, if you will come."
At first she seemed stunned, and her face was turned to her mountains, as
though the echo of his words were coming back to her from them, but the
thing crept into her heart and flooded it. She seemed to wake, and then
all her affection carried her into his arms, and she dried her eyes upon
his breast.
After a time he whispered, "My dear, I have wronged you.
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