g tears,
as bending over, she kissed his hand.

"I swear the same, my dear Madam Mina!" said Van Helsing. "And I!"
said Lord Godalming, each of them in turn kneeling to her to take the
oath. I followed, myself.

Then her husband turned to her wan-eyed and with a greenish pallor
which subdued the snowy whiteness of his hair, and asked, "And must I,
too, make such a promise, oh, my wife?"

"You too, my dearest," she said, with infinite yearning of pity in her
voice and eyes. "You must not shrink. You are nearest and dearest
and all the world to me. Our souls are knit into one, for all life
and all time. Think, dear, that there have been times when brave men
have killed their wives and their womenkind, to keep them from falling
into the hands of the enemy. Their hands did not falter any the more
because those that they loved implored them to slay them. It is men's
duty towards those whom they love, in such times of sore trial! And
oh, my dear, if it is to be that I must meet death at any hand, let it
be at the hand of him that loves me best. Dr. Van Helsing, I have not
forgotten your mercy in poor Lucy's case to him who loved." She
stopped with a flying blush, and changed her phrase, "to him who had
best right to give her peace. If that time shall come again, I look
to you to make it a happy memory of my husband's life that it was his
loving hand which set me free from the awful thrall upon me."

"Again I swear!" came the Professor's resonant voice.

Mrs. Harker smiled, positively smiled, as with a sigh of relief she
leaned back and said, "And now one word of warning, a warning which
you must never forget. This time, if it ever come, may come quickly
and unexpectedly, and in such case you must lose no time in using your
opportunity. At such a time I myself might be . . . nay! If the time
ever come, shall be, leagued with your enemy against you.

"One more request," she became very solemn as she said this, "it is
not vital and necessary like the other, but I want you to do one thing
for me, if you will."

We all acquiesced, but no one spoke. There was no need to speak.

"I want you to read the Burial Service." She was interrupted by a
deep groan from her husband. Taking his hand in hers, she held it
over her heart, and continued. "You must read it over me some day.
Whatever may be the issue of all this fearful state of things, it will
be a sweet thought to all or some of us. You, my dearest, wil