sther would at
this moment be lost amid the human flotsam and jetsam below, sailing
away without you to protect her, without me to look forward to her
return, without Addie's bouquet to assure her of a sister's love."

He took Esther's little hand once more It lingered confidingly in his
own. There was no ring of betrothal upon it, nor would be, till Rachel
Ansell in America, and Addie Leon in England, should have passed under
the wedding canopy, and Raphael, whose breast pocket was bulging with a
new meerschaum too sacred to smoke, should startle the West End with his
eccentric choice, and confirm its impression of his insanity. The trio
had said and resaid all they had to tell one another, all the reminders
and the recommendations. They stood without speaking now, wrapped in
that loving silence which is sweeter than speech.

The sun, which, had been shining intermittently, flooded the serried
shipping with a burst of golden light, that coaxed the turbid waves to
brightness, and cheered the wan emigrants, and made little children leap
joyously in their mothers' arms. The knell of parting sounded insistent.

"Your allegory seems turning in your favor, Raphael," said Esther, with
a sudden memory.

The pensive smile that made her face beautiful lit up the dark eyes.

"What allegory is that of Raphael's?" said Strelitski, reflecting her
smile on his graver visage. "The long one in his prize poem?"

"No," said Raphael, catching the contagious smile. "It is our little
secret."

Strelitski turned suddenly to look at the emigrants. The smile faded
from his quivering mouth.

The last moment had come. Raphael stooped down towards the gentle
softly-flushing face, which was raised unhesitatingly to meet his, and
their lips met in a first kiss, diviner than it is given most mortals to
know--a kiss, sad and sweet, troth and parting in one: _Ave et
vale_--hail and farewell."

"Good-bye, Strelitski," said Raphael huskily. "Success to your dreams."

The idealist turned round with a start. His face was bright and
resolute; the black curl streamed buoyantly on the breeze.

"Good-bye," he responded, with a giant's grip of the hand. "Success to
your hopes."

Raphael darted away with his long stride. The sun was still bright, but
for a moment everything seemed chill and dim to Esther Ansell's vision.
With a sudden fit of nervous foreboding she stretched out her arms
towards the vanishing figure of her lover. But she saw him on