draw it. Worn
out as she was with the strain and grief of the last few days, the firm
clasp seemed to bring with it strength and comfort. Hand-in-hand they
descended the sloping path and stood beneath the shelter of the trees.
As on the day of their first visit together, the delicate beauty of
early summer surrounded them on every side. The foliage still retained
the fresh green of springtime, the grass was dotted over with patches of
fragrant violets and anemones, the water of the stream babbled musically
over the mossy stones. As Piers gazed around there was on his face an
expression which Vanna had never seen before--an expression of
exaltation, of almost incredulous content.

"Vanna," he cried breathlessly, "it is _true_! All my life I have
feared and doubted. Even as a child, when my mother taught me at her
knee, the doubts arose in my mind, and the questions. You have wondered
why I never went to church. It would have been a mockery when I could
not believe. I have read, and listened, and discussed; and out of it
all came only more doubt, more confusion. It is my nature to
mistrust--_was_ my nature, till I met you." His hand tightened on hers
with almost painful pressure. "You have taught me the reality of
goodness and truth, and now, through you, this has come--this
revelation. It is true! There is another life. This world is not all.
I have doubted all other evidence, but I cannot doubt what I have
_seen_. They were there, Vanna, close around us, the spirits--the
`angels' of Miggles's sweet old faith! We were too blind to see, but
they were there, and she saw them. That light in her eyes! Can you
ever forget? That was not death--it was life--the coming of life! Oh,
my darling, my darling, what this means to me! A new heaven--a new
earth. The falling of the scales!"

He lifted his quivering face to the sky as though asking forgiveness of
the God whom he had denied; but the woman by his side had no thought at
that moment for anything in heaven or earth but himself. Amazement of
joy following so hard upon grief seemed to sap the last remnant of
strength. She trembled violently, and gripped at Piers's arm. He
turned in alarm, but the face looking up to his was quivering with joy,
not pain.

"Vanna! What is it?"

"You called me--you called me--" She broke off, trembling, shaking,
blushing to the roots of her hair. "_What_ did you call me?"

For a moment he stared bewildered; then rem