estful against my breast; for Love gave me skill to hold her,
and Love gave My Beautiful One a sweetness of ease in that little time
that was left to us.

And so we twain were together; and Love seemed that it had made a truce
with Death in the air about us, that we be undisturbed; for there came a
drowse of rest even upon my tense heart, that had known nothing but a
dreadful pain through the weary hours.

And I whispered my love silently to My Beautiful One, and her eyes
answered; and the strangely beautiful and terrible moments passed by
into the hush of eternity.

And suddenly, Mirdath My Beautiful One, spoke,--whispering something.
And I stooped gently to hark; and Mine Own spoke again; and lo! it was
to call me by the olden Love Name that had been mine through all the
utter lovely months of our togetherness.

And I began again to tell her of my love, that should pass beyond death;
and lo! in that one moment of time, the light went out of her eyes; and
My Beautiful One lay dead in mine arms ... My Beautiful One....

II

THE LAST REDOUBT

Since Mirdath, My Beautiful One, died and left me lonely in this world,
I have suffered an anguish, and an utter and dreadful pain of longing,
such as truly no words shall ever tell; for, in truth, I that had all
the world through her sweet love and companionship, and knew all the joy
and gladness of Life, have known such lonesome misery as doth stun me to
think upon.

Yet am I to my pen again; for of late a wondrous hope has grown in me,
in that I have, at night in my sleep, waked into the future of this
world, and seen strange things and utter marvels, and known once more
the gladness of life; for I have learned the promise of the future, and
have visited in my dreams those places where in the womb of Time, she
and I shall come together, and part, and again come together--breaking
asunder most drearly in pain, and again reuniting after strange ages, in
a glad and mighty wonder.

And this is the utter strange story of that which I have seen, and
which, truly, I must set out, if the task be not too great; so that, in
the setting out thereof, I may gain a little ease of the heart; and
likewise, mayhap, give ease of hope to some other poor human, that doth
suffer, even as I have suffered so dreadful with longing for Mine Own
that is dead.

And some shall read and say that this thing was not, and some shall
dispute with them; but to them all I say naught, save "Rea