"I'll not," was his answer, and now she _knew_ she could trust him.
She drew a breath of relief, and went on as if talking with an old friend.

"I've got to get a long ways from here.

As soon as it's dark I'm going." "Where ?" "Toward the river." And her eyes lit.
"The river?
What's there ?" "I don't know," said she triumphantly.
But he understood.

He had the spirit of adventure himself--one could see it at a glance--the spirit that instinctively shuns yesterday and all its works and wings eagerly into tomorrow, unknown, different, new--therefore better.

But this girl, this child-woman--or was she rather woman-child ?--penniless, with nothing but two eggs between her and starvation, alone, without plans, without experience-- What would become of her?
.