gs he went on so fast that he
could not hear the cry behind him. She had spoken, and had been
listening in vain for response! She thought herself unloved: he had
shown her no sign that he loved her!

His heart was so full of love and the joy of love, that they had made
him very still: now the delight of love awoke. He took her in his arms
like a child, rose, and went walking about the room with her, petting
and soothing her. He held her close to his heart; her head was on his
shoulder, and his face was turned to hers.

"I love you," he said, "and love you to all eternity! I have love
enough now to live upon, if you should die to-night, and I should tarry
till he come. O God, thou art too good to me! It is more than my heart
can bear! To make men and women, and give them to each other, and not
be one moment jealous of the love wherewith they love one another, is
to be a God indeed!"

So said Donal--and spoke the high truth. But alas for the love
wherewith men and women love each other! There were small room for God
to be jealous of that! It is the little love with which they love each
other, the great love with which they love themselves, that hurts the
heart of their father.

Arctura signed at length a prayer for release, and he set her gently
down in her chair again. Then he saw her face more beautiful than ever
before; and the rose that bloomed there was the rose of a health deeper
than sickness. These children of God were of the blessed few who love
the more that they know him present, whose souls are naked before him,
and not ashamed. Let him that hears understand! if he understand not,
let him hold his peace, and it will be his wisdom! He who has no place
for this love in his religion, who thinks to be more holy without it,
is not of God's mind when he said, "Let us make man!" He may be a
saint, but he cannot be a man after God's own heart. The finished man
is the saved man. The saint may have to be saved from more than sin.

"When shall we be married?" asked Donal.

"Soon, soon," answered Arctura.

"To-morrow then?"

"No, not to-morrow: there is no such haste--now that we understand each
other," she added with a rosy smile. "I want to be married to you
before I die, that is all--not just to-morrow, or the next day."

"When you please, my love," said Donal.

She laid her head on his bosom.

"We are as good as married now," she said: "we know that each loves the
other! How I shall wait for you! You wil