The Mountain Girl by Emma Payne Erskine Chapter 10 Page 12

in her place; but all the time she could feel the faintly beating pulse beneath her fingers, and kept repeating David’s words: “We are trying to save his life — we are trying to save his life.”

David finished. Moving rapidly about, he washed, covered, and carried away, and set all in order so that nothing betrayed his grewsome task. Then he came to her and took both her cold hands in his warm ones and led her to the door. She swayed and walked weakly. He supported her with his arm and, once out in the sweet air, she quickly recovered. He praised her warmly, eagerly, taking her hands in his, and for the first time, as the faint rose crept into her cheeks, he felt her to be moved by his words; but she only smiled as she drew her hands away and turned toward the house.