I love you , but I cant stay . Im leaving my foolscap book for you , you can keep it always but I must go back to Stephen and nora Paul He put the note on the foolscap book and laid them on the table . Then he blew out the light , took his cap and went softly out . The house was very still . Holding his breath , he tiptoed downstairs and opened the front door . Before it ran the street which went , he knew , straight out to the country road that led home . Paul closed the door and stole down the steps , his heart beating painfully , but when he reached the sidewalk he broke into a frantic run under the limes . It was late and no one was out on that quiet street . He ran until his breath gave out , then walked miserably until he recovered it , and then ran again . He dared not stop running until he was out of that horrible town , which seemed like a prison closing around him , where the houses shut out the stars and the wind could only creep in a narrow space like a fettered , cringing thing , instead of sweeping grandly over great salt wastes of sea . At last the houses grew few and scattered , and finally he left them behind . He drew a long breath ; this was better -- rather smothering yet , of course , with nothing but hills and fields and dark woods all about him , but at least his own sky was above him , looking just the same as it looked out home at Noel 's Cove . He recognized the stars as friends ; how often Stephen had pointed them out to him as they sat at night by the door of the little house . He was not at all frightened now . He knew the way home and the kind night was before him . Every step was bringing him nearer to Stephen and Nora and the Twin Sailors . He whistled as he walked sturdily along . The dawn was just breaking when he reached Noel 's Cove . The eastern sky was all pale rose and silver , and the sea was mottled over with dear grey ripples . In the west over the harbour the sky was a very fine ethereal blue and the wind blew from there , salt and bracing .
Paul was tired , but he ran lightly down the shelving rocks XXXXX the cove .
At above as before behind for from into over to