第32部分(第7/7 頁)

hand；　he　felt　her　forehead；　then　her　cheeks。　〃I'm　going　to　heat　up　some

soup　for　you。〃

She　shook　her　head。　〃No。　I　can't　eat。　Just　stay　here　with　me　for　a　few

minutes。〃

He　drew　her；　quilts　and　all；　into　his　arms　and　rubbed　her　all　over　to

warm　her　up。

〃I　was　so　frightened；〃　she　whispered。　〃It　was　cold　and　wet。　And　dark。〃

〃You　should　have　known　I'd　e　looking　for　you。〃

〃I　wasn't　sure　you　were　here。　There　were　no　tire　tracks…〃　She　broke　off；

coughing　again。

He　waited　until　she　quieted。　〃I　arrived　before　the　storm　began。　Snow　can

be　pretty　dramatic　up　here。　It　should　be　beautiful　e　morning。〃

The　thought　of　wandering　through　the　snow　with　Mitch　was　a　lovely　one。

She　smiled　then　sneezed。

〃I'll　get　that　soup　now。〃

〃No。　Really；　I'm　not　hungry。〃

〃You　need　something　warm　inside。〃

〃I　don't　think　I　can　keep　it　down。〃

〃You　will。〃　He　set　her　down。　〃Just　rest。　I'll　be　back。〃

She　rolled　to　her　side　and　tucked　up　her　knees。　The　warmth　of　the　bed

burned；　still　she　felt　chilled。　Turning　over；　she　huddled　in　a　ball　and

dozed。　She　woke　up　when　Mitch　returned　with　a　bowl　of　steaming　broth。　He

helped　her　sit；　and　he　fed　her　himself　When　she　couldn't　take　in　another

drop；　he　let　her　sleep。

She　awoke　an　hour　later　feeling　even　worse。　Mitch　was　bathing　her　face

and　neck　with　a　damp　cloth。　〃That's　quite　some　cold；〃　he　muttered。

〃It　just　hung　on。　I　thought　it'd　be　better　by　now。〃

〃Why　d