e air over that magical land, beat its wings
softly in the pale heaven; and then like a dove that knows, by some
inborn mysterious art, which way its path lies, his spirit paused upon
the breeze, and then sailed out across the tree-tops. Whither? Paul
knew not. And so at last he slipped into a quiet sleep.

He woke in the morning all of a sudden, with a kind of tranquil joy
and purpose; and when he was dressed, and gone into the hall, he found
Mistress Alison sitting in her chair beside the table laid for their
meal. She was silent and looked troubled, and Paul went up softly to
her, and kissed her and said, "I have chosen." She did not need to ask
him what he had chosen, but put her arm about him and said, "Then,
dear Paul, be content--and we will have one more day together, the
last of the old days; and to-morrow shall the new life begin."

So the two passed a long and quiet day together. For to the wise and
loving-hearted woman this was the last of sweet days, and her soul
went out to the past with a great hunger of love; but she stilled it
as was her wont, saying to herself that this dear passage of life had
hitherto only been like the clear trickling of a woodland spring,
while the love of the Father's heart was as it were a great river of
love marching softly to a wide sea, on which river the very world
itself floated like a flower-bloom between widening banks.

And indeed if any had watched them that day, it would have seemed
that she was the serener; for the thought of the life that lay before
him worked like wine in the heart of Paul, and he could only by an
effort bring himself back to loving looks and offices of tenderness.
They spent the whole day together, for the most part in a peaceful
silence; and at last the sun went down, and a cool breeze came up out
of the west, laden with scent from miles and miles of grass and
flowers, which seemed to bear with it the fragrant breath of myriads
of sweet living things.

Then they ate together what was the last meal they were to take thus
alone. And at last Mistress Alison would have Paul go to rest. And so
she took his hand in hers, and said, "Dear child, the good years are
over now; but you will not forget them; only lean upon the Father, for
He is very strong; and remember that though the voice of melody is
sweet, yet the loving heart is deeper yet." And then Paul suddenly
broke out into a passion of weeping, and kissed his old friend on hand
and cheek and lip