`` So this girl is at to core of a tragedy , '' he reflected , as he went to his room . `` And she is dumb ! The pity of it ! Kilmeny ! The name suits her . She is as lovely and innocent as the heroine of the old ballad . ` And oh , Kilmeny was fair to see . ' But the next line is certainly not so appropriate , for her eyes were anything but ` still and steadfast ' -- after she had seen me , at all events . '' He tried to put her out of his thoughts , but he could not . The memory of her beautiful face drew him with a power he could not resist . The next evening he went again to the orchard . CHAPTER VII . A ROSE OF WOMANHOOD When he emerged from the spruce wood and entered the orchard his heart gave a sudden leap , and he felt that the blood rushed madly to his face . She was there , bending over the bed of June lilies in the centre of the garden plot . He could only see her profile , virginal and white . He stopped , not wishing to startle her again . When she lifted her head he expected to see her shrink and flee , but she did not do so ; she only grew a little paler and stood motionless , watching him intently . Seeing this , he walked slowly towards her , and when he was so close to her that he could hear the nervous flutter of her breath over her parted , trembling lips , he said very gently , `` Do not be afraid of me . I am a friend , and I do not wish to disturb or annoy you in any way . '' She seemed to hesitate a moment .
Then she lifted a little slate that hung at her belt , wrote something on it rapidly , and held it out XXXXX him .
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