cacia by the gate, lingering in
the evening quiet. Now and then there was the flutter of wings above
them, and the white flowers fell and scattered like bridal blossoms all
around.

"We must go in," said Stella. "Peter will be disappointed if we keep the
dinner waiting."

"Ah! We mustn't hurt his august feelings," conceded Everard. "We owe him
a mighty lot, my Stella. I wish we could make some return."

"His greatest reward is to let him serve us," she answered. "His love is
the kind that needs to serve."

"Which is the highest kind of love," said Everard holding her to him.
"Do you know--Hanani discovered that for me."

She pressed close to his side. "Everard darling, why did you keep that
secret so long?"

"My dear!" he said, and was silent.

"Well, won't you tell me?" she urged. "I think you might."

He hesitated a moment longer; then, "Don't let it hurt you, dear!" he
said. "But--actually--I wasn't sure that you cared--until I was with you
in the temple and saw you--weeping for me."

"Oh, Everard!" she said.

He folded her in his arms. "My darling, I thought I had killed your
love; and even though I found then that I was wrong, I wasn't sure that
you would ever forgive me for playing that last trick upon you."

"Ah!" she whispered. "And if I--hadn't--forgiven--you?"

"I should have gone away," he said.

"You would have left me?" She pressed closer.

"I should have come back to you sometimes, sweetheart, in some other
guise. I couldn't have kept away for ever. But I would never have
intruded upon you," he said.

"Everard! Everard!" She hid her face against him. "You make me feel so
ashamed--so utterly--unworthy."

"Don't darling! Don't," he whispered. "Let us be happy--to-night!"

"And I wanted you so! I missed you so!" she said brokenly.

He turned her face up to his own. "I missed myself a bit, too," he said.
"I couldn't have played the Hanani game if Peter hadn't put me up to it.
Darling, are those actually tears? Because I won't have them. You are
going to look forward, not back."

She clung to him closely, passionately. "Yes--yes. I will look forward.
But, oh, Everard, promise me--promise me--you will never deceive me
again!"

"I don't believe I could, any more," he said.

"But promise!" she urged.

"Very well, my dear one. I promise. There! Is that enough?" He kissed
her quivering face, holding her clasped to his heart. "I will never
trick you again as long as I live. But I had to b