e I can trust you. I know
you'll do as I ask."

"Do as you ask me--good God!" Henley bit his lip till the blood ran
against his fine teeth, and he fell to quivering. "I see what you mean,
and I know you are right, and yet, and yet, I couldn't have let him walk
off like that if I hadn't thought--"

"I know--I saw that in your eye," Dixie went on, firmly--"and that's why
I'm making you promise now. No matter what happens, Alfred, you are
going to avoid that man--you are going to protect me in a higher and
braver way than spilling human blood. You'll avoid him, won't you?"

She saw the muscles of his face settle into a rigid grimace, his eyes
flared, his great breast heaved, and he nodded. "Yes," he said, "I'll
avoid him; that is, I think--yes, I know I'll do it for your sake."

"There, I knew you wouldn't refuse me," Dixie cried, almost merrily.
"Now let's walk on. You mustn't go all the way. I'm afraid our dream is
over, Alfred. This scare has opened my eyes to our earthly duties. I'm
going to think of you just as--as often as I wish, and lo--love you, but
we mustn't meet often. I want you to love me, too--that's God's truth,
but don't tell me so, Alfred, any more--not a single time."

"How can I help it?" He turned on her, his face full of fire, his voice
shaking with passion. He threw his arms about her and was drawing her
into a close embrace when she stiffened her body and, with firm hands,
disengaged herself, and, as she pushed him back, she said: "No, no! that
will not do, Alfred. You must never do that again. It isn't because I
don't want you to. If we had the right, I could rest forever in your
dear arms; I could--oh, Alfred, what does God mean by treating us like
this?"

"He means that we were made for one another," Henley gulped, as his eyes
probed her own. "I know it--I know it."

"Yes, maybe," she said, as she moved onward, "but perhaps not for this
life, Alfred. Our love is as eternal as that space above is endless. It
is spiritual and pure; let's keep it that way. Now I'll leave you. Don't
forget."

"I'll obey your commands," Henley answered, fervidly. "I know my duty
and I'll try to do it."

She hung back a moment longer, her pretty, arching brows drawn together
in thought. "I'm more worried about you and Hank Bradley than you may
guess," she said. "Even if you don't meet him, he may do you some other
injury. In fact, he once said--" She paused, her eyes on the ground.

"He said what, Dixie?" H