r; it is
not far away; it must be easy to get there. I will go there--there,
Brooke, where I first became acquainted with you; and then--"

Here Talbot paused, and turned away her head.

"But you can't live there," said Brooke, in a harsh voice.

"I can find my way back to the road," said Talbot, in a tremulous
tone--"to the road where I first met you, Brooke; and then--why, then I
shall be no worse off than when you found me and assisted me."

"It's all nonsense," said Brooke; "you can't go alone."

"Yes, I can."

"You'll be taken prisoner."

"I don't care."

"Or, if not, you'll die of starvation."

"Very well," said Talbot, in a calm voice, and looking at Brooke out of
serene eyes, with a face from which all traces of emotion had
departed--"very well; I have already showed that I am not afraid of death;
and death by starvation is not more terrible than death by bullets."

Brooke looked at her for a moment in silence, and then said,

"You are not in earnest?"

"I am in earnest," said Talbot, looking at him fixedly, and speaking in a
resolute tone--"I am in earnest, and I mean to go this very night."

Brooke looked away, drew a long breath, and subsided into silence.

"How can you find the way?" he asked at length, in a gruff voice, and
without looking up.

"I don't know," said Talbot; "I can try again, as I tried before."

Brooke looked up hastily, then looked away, and finally said,

"I think, Talbot, you might ask me to show you the way."

At this Talbot's face flushed, and all her expression was suddenly changed
from one of dull dejection to animation and delight.

"Will you?" she asked, breathlessly.

"Oh yes," said Brooke, "that isn't much to do. Oh yes, I can easily show
you the way to the tower. After all, it is as safe there as here; and if
you are determined to go, why, we can start, you know--at any time, you
know."

"But will you--can you--will you, really?" said Talbot, who seemed quite
overwhelmed at this unexpected offer. "Then you have your human weakness,
after all, have you, Brooke? You will not sacrifice me to a punctilio,
will you? you will not let your poor Talbot go away all alone?"

[Illustration: "They Retreated To A Rude Bench, Upon Which They Seated
Themselves."]

"No," said Brooke, softly, "I will not let my Talbot go away all alone."

Talbot cast a swift glance at him, as if to read his soul. Brooke's eye
met hers, but only for an instant. Then he looked away. A