Indeed,
he kept away from the Bluegrass
for nearly two months; but when he
did go he stayed a fortnight.
This time he came for me as soon as
he got back to the Gap. It was just
before midnight, and we went as usual
back of Imboden Hill, through moon-
dappled beeches, and Grayson turned
off into the woods where there was
no path, both of us silent. We rode
through tremulous, shining leaves--
Grayson's horse choosing a way for
himself--and, threshing through a patch
of high, strong weeds, we circled past an
amphitheatre of deadened trees whose
crooked arms were tossed out into the
moonlight, and halted on the spur. The
moon was poised over Morris's farm;
South Fork was shining under us like a
loop of gold, the mountains lay about in
tranquil heaps, and the moon-mist rose
luminous between them. There Grayson
turned to me with an eager light in
his eyes that I had never seen before.
``This has a new beauty to-night!''
he said; and then ``I told her about
you, and she said that she used to know
you--well.'' I was glad my face was in
shadow--I could hardly keep back a
brutal laugh--and Grayson, unseeing,
went on to speak of her as I had never
heard any man speak of any woman.
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