ely,
resisting all her efforts and self-control. She became suddenly blinded
and overwhelmed by bitter weeping.

"Ah, Juliet--Juliet!" he said, and went down on his knees before her,
folding her closely, closely to his breast....

It seemed to her a very long time later that she found herself lying
exhausted against the sofa-cushions, feeling his arm still about her and
poignantly conscious of his touch. His other hand was pressed upon her
forehead, and her tears had ceased. She could not remember that he had
spoken a single word since he had taken her into his arms, neither had he
kissed her, but all her fear of him was gone.

Through the open port-hole there came to her the swish of water, and she
heard the throb and roar of the engines like the sound of a distant train
in a tunnel. Moved by a deep impulse that came straight from her soul,
she took the hand that lay upon her brow and drew it downwards first to
her lips, holding it there with closed eyes while she kissed it, then
softly to her heart while she turned her eyes to his.

"Oh, Dick," she said, "are you sure--are you quite sure--that--that--I am
worth keeping?"

"I am quite sure I am going to keep you," he answered very steadily.

Her two hands closed fast upon his. "Not--not as a prisoner?" she
whispered, wanly smiling.

"Yes, a prisoner," he said, not without a certain grimness, "that is,
until you have learnt your lesson."

"What lesson?" she asked him wonderingly.

"That you can't do without me," he said, a note of challenge in
his voice.

Something in his look hurt her. She freed one hand and laid it
pleadingly, caressingly, against his neck. "Oh, Dicky," she said, "try to
understand!"

His face changed a little, and she thought his mouth quivered ever so
slightly as he said. "It's now or never, Juliet. If I don't come to a
perfect understanding with you to-night, we shall be strangers for the
rest of our lives."

She shivered at the finality of his words, but they gave her light. "I
have hurt you--horribly!" she said.

He was silent.

She pressed herself to him with a sudden passionate gesture. "Dick--my
husband--will you forgive me--can you forgive me--before you
understand?"

Her eyes implored him, yet just for a second he hesitated. Then very
swiftly he gathered her closely, closely against his heart, and kissed
her pleading, upturned face over and over. "Yes!" he said. "Yes!"

She clung to him with all her quivering strength.