is past now."

There was an infinite tenderness in her tone, the tenderness of a
mother who uplifts her child through a season of pain. He felt it,
and it seemed to help him to clear away some of the dimness that
besieged his senses.

"Then----" he began, but stayed himself. "You know," he said
haltingly, "you died. Hilda died. I saw it: my arms were round her."

"Yes, dear," she answered. "Hilda died. But don't you understand?"

"No," he replied, but none the less understanding was dawning upon
him. "How--how did you come here?" he asked.

"I came by the same way as you, John, dear," she said. As again she
seemed to take one step toward him. "There is no other way."

"No other way!" He repeated the words twice.

"Hilda," he said, and went to her.

"Yes, dear?"

He took her hand; it lay close and familiarly in his palm.

"Everything seems to be far away from me--except you," he said. "I
see you; I hear you speak. What does it mean, my darling?"

Her eyes were full of love. "Don't you know yet, John?" she asked.

"No," he answered slowly; "unless--unless----Hilda, am I dead?"

She did not speak to answer him, but nodded thrice, very slowly.

They found him in his chair before the ashes of the fire. At his feet
the mirror was broken across, where it had dropped from his hand.
And the lips were parted in a sort of uncertainty.

Cahill & Co., Ltd., London, Dublin and Drogheda.

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