nt down and kissed her lips again, and then reverently
her brow. Then putting her back from him, but still holding both her
hands, he cried--

'Not you shall not go. I shall never let you go.'

She gave a little sigh of content, and, smiling up at him, said--

'I can go now'; but even as she spoke the flush died from her face, and
she shuddered.

'Never!' he almost shouted; 'nothing shall take you away. We shall work
here together.'

'Ah, if we could, if we only could,' she said piteously.

'Why not?' he demanded fiercely.

'You will send me away. You will say it is right for me to go,' she
replied sadly.

'Do we not love each other?' was his impatient answer.

'Ah! yes, love,' she said; 'but love is not all.'

'No!' cried Craig; 'but love is the best'

'Yes!' she said sadly; 'love is the best, and it is for love's sake we
will do the best.'

'There is no better work than here. Surely this is best,' and he
pictured his plans before her. She listened eagerly.

'Oh! if it should be right,' she cried, 'I will do what you say. You are
good, you are wise, you shall tell me.'

She could not have recalled him better. He stood silent some moments,
then burst out passionately--

'Why then has love come to us? We did not seek it. Surely love is of
God. Does God mock us?'

He threw himself into his chair, pouring out his words of passionate
protestation. She listened, smiling, then came to him and, touching his
hair as a mother might her child's, said--

'Oh, I am very happy! I was afraid you would not care, and I could not
bear to go that way.'

'You shall not go,' he cried aloud, as if in pain. 'Nothing can make
that right.'

But she only said, 'You shall tell me to-morrow. You cannot see
to-night, but you will see, and you will tell me.'

He stood up and, holding both her hands, looked long into her eyes, then
turned abruptly away and went out.

She stood where he left her for some moments, her face radiant, and her
hands pressed upon her heart. Then she came toward my room. She found me
busy with my painting, but as I looked up and met her eyes she flushed
slightly, and said--

'I quite forgot you.'

'So it appeared to me.'

'You heard?'

'And saw,' I replied boldly. 'It would have been rude to interrupt, you
see.'

'Oh, I am so glad and thankful.'

'Yes; it was rather considerate of me.'

'Oh, I don't mean that,' the flush deepening; 'I am glad you know.'

'I have known some time.'