taking both it and the unaccustomed collar off at once with a sigh of
relief.

"Now seein' as a young huzbun' is wuss trouble dan a young baby, how I
gwine prophesy 'bout Miss Sophy's happ'ness?" she concluded.

* * * * *

The magic spell held beautifully all through those bridal wanderings.
There was a real awe at the base of Loring's love for Sophy. Her
creative gift and the fact of her initiation into life's darker
mysteries, had a strange and subduing charm for him. His bridegroom mood
was still Endymion's. This reverence, as for a being familiar with
worlds unknown to him, lent his passion for her a certain, subtle
restraint which seemed to reveal Eros as the most exquisitely
considerate of all the gods.

On her return Sophy went to Sweet-Waters instead of going direct to
Newport. She could scarcely sleep that night on the train, for thinking
how soon she would hold her boy in her arms again. But Loring was more
keenly jealous of Bobby than ever. Marriage had brought this feeling to
a head.

The first thing Sophy saw as the train slowed down at Sweet-Waters
station was his little face, very pale, upturned to the car windows.
When she sprang off and caught him in her arms, he trembled so that he
could not speak for some moments.

Then he said earnestly, in a faint, beseeching voice:

"Muvvah--please don't leave me any more, for Jesus' sake. Amen."

Sophy, trembling herself, said:

"Never again, my darling. Never, never, as long as we both live."

Afterwards, when they were alone, Loring said to her:

"Don't you think you were mistaken to make the boy such a promise as
that?"

He did not look at her as he said this, but at his tie which he was
fastening before the glass.

"What promise?" said Sophy, not remembering for a moment.

"That you'd never leave him again. Things might happen to make it
necessary."

"Nothing could happen to make it necessary. I promised truly. I wouldn't
leave him again for anything on earth--not for anything...."

"Not even for me?" asked Loring. He was still looking at his tie, which
refused to slip into the right knot.

"That couldn't happen, dear. We shall always be together I hope."

"You can't tell...." said Loring. His voice was stiff.

Sophy came over beside him. She stood watching the reflection of his
nervous fingers in the glass for some minutes. She loved his hands. They
were long and slight, the fine bone-work showing clearl