he subject. Her very insistence, based on personal
affection, gave me more solid ground for fear. In the moment of love
transports I had forgotten, or did not think, of what wonderful power or
knowledge she must have to be able to move in such strange ways as she
did. Why, at this very moment she was within my own gates. Locks and
bars, even the very seal of death itself, seemed unable to make for her a
prison-house. With such freedom of action and movement, going when she
would into secret places, what might she not know that was known to
others? How could anyone keep secret from such an one even an ill
intent? Such thoughts, such surmises, had often flashed through my mind
in moments of excitement rather than of reflection, but never long enough
to become fixed into belief. But yet the consequences, the convictions,
of them were with me, though unconsciously, though the thoughts
themselves were perhaps forgotten or withered before development.

"And you?" I asked her earnestly. "What about danger to you?" She
smiled, her little pearl-white teeth gleaming in the moonlight, as she
spoke:

"There is no danger for me. I am safe. I am the safest person, perhaps
the only safe person, in all this land." The full significance of her
words did not seem to come to me all at once. Some base for
understanding such an assertion seemed to be wanting. It was not that I
did not trust or believe her, but that I thought she might be mistaken.
I wanted to reassure myself, so in my distress I asked unthinkingly:

"How the safest? What is your protection?" For several moments that
spun themselves out endlessly she looked me straight in the face, the
stars in her eyes seeming to glow like fire; then, lowering her head, she
took a fold of her shroud and held it up to me.

"This!"

The meaning was complete and understandable now. I could not speak at
once for the wave of emotion which choked me. I dropped on my knees, and
taking her in my arms, held her close to me. She saw that I was moved,
and tenderly stroked my hair, and with delicate touch pressed down my
head on her bosom, as a mother might have done to comfort a frightened
child.

Presently we got back to the realities of life again. I murmured:

"Your safety, your life, your happiness are all-in-all to me. When will
you let them be my care?" She trembled in my arms, nestling even closer
to me. Her own arms seemed to quiver with delight as she said:

"