But still he could not understand what she said, her voice was so broken, and he went back.
When he got quite close to the gate he understood.

"You ain't goin' past, Richard?
You ain't goin' past, Richard ?" Sylvia was wailing over and over, clinging to the old gate-post.
Barney stood before her, hesitating.

Sylvia reached out a hand towards him, clutching piteously with pale fingers through the gloom.
Barney drew back from the poor hand.

"I rather think--you've--made a mistake," he faltered out.
"You ain't goin' past, Richard ?" Sylvia wailed out again.

She flung out her lean arm farther towards him.