The young tinker suppressed a momentary quiver of impatience. He thanked the doctor and said goodbye and then walked the three miles back to the mountain. The vague disquiet that he had felt now began to form itself into a knot of anxiety. Somehow he had to get the girl off the mountain; his stock of food would soon run low.

    The girl was standing by the pool. She seemed to sense his uneasiness. The fact that he could not explain that it was not because of anything she had done, frustrated him. Even so, they spent an enjoyable evening together. He pointed out various objects and gave her the word for each of them, which she repeated. Sometimes her pronunciation made him smile, and for a while at least, his disquiet eased.

    Over the next few days, the girl's grasp...

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