rible to remember. She said he meant to
use me for that purpose. That's why she left him. But in a way he was
good to me. I can see so many things now to prove he was wicked.... And
mother said he would follow her--track her to the end of the world."

"Allie! If he should find you some day!" exclaimed Neale, hoarsely.

She put her arms up round his neck. And that, following a terrible pang
of dread in Neale's breast, was too much for him. The tide burst. Love
had long claimed him, but its utterance had been withheld. He had been
happy in her happiness. He had trained himself to spare her.

"But some day--I'll be--your wife," she whispered.

"Soon? Soon?" he returned, trembling.

The scarlet fired her temples, her brow, darkening the skin under her
bright hair.

"That's for you to say."

She held up her lips, tremulous and sweet.

Neale realized the moment had come. There had never been but the one
kiss between them--that of the meeting upon his return in September.

"Allie, I love you!" He spoke thickly.

"And I love you," she replied, with sweet courage.

"This news you've told--this man Durade," he went on, hoarsely, "I'm
suddenly alive--stinging--wild!... If I lost you!"

"Dear, you will never lose me--never in this world or any other," she
replied, tenderly.

"My work, my hope, my life, they all get spirit now from you... Allie!
You're sweet--oh, so sweet! You're glorious!" he rang out, passionately.

Surprise momentarily checked the rising response of her feeling.

"Neale! You've never before said--such-things!... And the way you look!"

"How do I look?" he queried, seeing the joyousness of her surprise.

Then she laughed and that was new to him--a sound low, unutterably rich
and full, sweet-toned like a bell, and all resonant of youth.

"Oh, you look like Durade when he was gambling away his soul... You
should see him!"

"Well, how's that?"

"So white--so terrible--so piercing!"

Neale drew her closer, slipped her arms farther up round his neck. "I'm
gambling my soul away now," he said. "If I kiss you I lose it--and I
must!"

"Must what?" she whispered, with all a woman's charm.

"I must kiss you!"

"Then hurry!"

So their lips met.

In the sweetness of that embrace, in the simplicity and answering
passion of her kiss, in the overwhelming sense of her gift of herself,
heart and soul, he found a strength, a restraint, a nobler fire that
gave him peace.

Allie was to amaze Neale ag