ed to despise? If he were God, he would say, Do justice and fear
not. And this was justice. Suppose he were in a battle, with all these
things behind him, and put himself, with daring and great results,
in some forlorn hope--to die; and he died, ostensibly a hero for his
country, but, in his heart of hearts, to throw his life away to
save some one he loved, not his country, which profited by his
sacrifice--suppose that were the case, what would the world say?

"He saved others, himself he could not save"--flashed through his mind,
possessed him. He could save others; but it was clear he could not
save himself. It was so simple, so kind, and so decent. And he would
be buried here in quiet, unconsecrated ground, a mystery, a tailor who,
finding he could not mend the garment of life, cast it away, and took on
himself the mantle of eternal obscurity. No reproaches would follow him;
and he would not reproach himself, for Kathleen and Billy and another
would be safe and free to live their lives.

Far, far better for Rosalie! She too would be saved--free from the peril
of his presence. For where could happiness come to her from him? He
might not love her; he might not marry her; and it were well to go now,
while yet love was not a habit, but an awakening, a realisation of life.
His death would settle this sad question for ever. To her he would be a
softening memory as time went on.

The girl who had watched by the curtain stepped softly inside the room
... she divined his purpose. He was so intent he did not hear.

"I will do it," he said to himself. "It is better to go than to stay. I
have never done a good thing for love of any human being. I will do one
now."

He turned towards the window through which the sunlight streamed.
Stepping forward into the sun, he uncorked the bottle.

There was a quick step behind him, and the girl's voice said clearly:

"If you go, I go also."

He turned swiftly, cold with amazement, the blood emptied from his
heart.

Rosalie stood a little distance from him, her face pale, her hands held
hard to her side.

"I understand all. I could not go outside, I stayed there"--she pointed
to the other room--"and I know why you would die. You would die to save
others."

"Rosalie!" he protested in a hoarse voice, and could say nothing more.

"You think that I will stay, if you go! No, no, no--I will not. You
taught me how to live, and I will follow you now."

He saw the strange determination