quick.  She was still under the excitement of the resolve in which the
journey from her home had been suddenly conceived and promptly
accomplished.  But as the path wound on through the stillness of
venerable groves, her courage began to fail her.  Her feet loitered, her
eyes wandered round vaguely, timidly.  The scene was not new to her.  As
she gazed, rushingly gathered over her sorrowful shrinking mind memories
of sportive happy summer days, spent in childhood amidst those turfs and
shades-memories, more agitating, of the last visit (childhood then
ripened into blooming youth) to the ancient dwelling which, yet concealed
from view by the swells of the undulating ground and the yellow boughs of
the giant trees, betrayed its site by the smoke rising thin and dim
against the limpid atmosphere.  She bent down her head, closing her eyes
as if to shut out less the face of the landscape than the images that
rose ghost-like up to people it, and sighed heavily, heavily.  Now, hard
by, roused from its bed amongst the fern, the doe that Darrell had tained
into companionship had watched with curiosity this strange intruder on
its solitary range.  But at the sound of that heavy sigh, the creature,
emboldened, left its halting-place, and stole close to the saddened
woman, touching her very dress.  Doubtless, as Darrell's companion in his
most musing hours, the doe was familiarised to the sound of sighs, and