ur backs upon it."

"We are too strong," he groaned. "I am tempted to pray for weakness."

She drew herself up, her face alight with a noble radiance. "Let us both
be proud of our strength. We have set right above everything."

"But suppose we are mistaken--" he urged tensely.

"We cannot strike her down! No, no, we must not take away her great
happiness--you have given it to her! I depute you, if you love me, to
guard her welfare--on my behalf and on your own. Remember, too, she is
happy with so little!"

"I shall be a loyal husband. But, in the realms that lie outside her
penetration, you have promised that I may cherish the thought of you as
an inspiration."

"To speak to you with my own voice--to help you to the strength that
cannot falter!"

But the end was close upon them. He could not linger over the picture,
even had he wished. As the last days slipped by his face saddened
visibly. Lady Betty begged him to bear up. He was so changed in aspect
that Alice could not fail to notice it.

"There is no danger," he returned. "She has already spoken of it, and I
have put it down to fatigue. She has seen how desperately I have been
working for months on end, and she is satisfied I need rest."

One day, he ventured to question Lady Betty about her plans, but she
replied that they were vague. She only knew that she would travel for
the present; she would not make up her mind as to details till the last
moment.

"But even then I should not tell you," she added, with a wan smile. "Our
parting must be decisive. I shall read of your career, and my mind shall
be always with you in your work; but I shall not cross your path again.
There is one last thing I suggest. When you have finished the picture,
let us spend the whole of our last day together."

"I shall set it apart. We shall consecrate it with our farewell."

"I shall give you the souvenir I promised. I shall keep it till the end;
and then it will be goodbye."

"Goodbye?" he breathed. "Oh, it is cruel!"

He was shaken again. Some wild rebellion was rising in him, and vainly
Lady Betty tried to calm him with pleading--even with tears. But she
revealed only the more her own anguish.

At last she had command of herself again, and put a stern inflection
into her voice.

"For Alice's sake you must conquer yourself. No, let it be for my sake.
I put it as the test of your love for me. Otherwise I shall believe that
your love is selfish."

"I promise I shall