midnight
There was but one place then for these two souls to meet . Yet it was far , and he feared , and ran with startled eyes . She stood on the island , ethereal , splendid , like some tall , dark , and gorgeous flower of the storied East . The green and white of the cotton billowed and foamed about her breasts ; the red scarf burned upon her neck ; the dark brown velvet of her skin pulsed warm and tremulous with the uprushing blood , and in the midnight depths of her great eyes flamed the mighty fires of long-concealed and new-born love . He darted through the trees and paused , a tall man strongly but slimly made . He threw up his hands in the old way and hallooed ; happily she crooned back a low mother-melody , and waited . He came down to her slowly , with fixed , hungry eyes , threading his way amid the Fleece .