d I forgot the soul, for
I had forgotten love, and I could not see the dearer things. I forgot
the soul that should soften so tenderly and refine the courage and the
resolution and the purity of that dear face of yours and make nobility
divine. I forgot--"

"Jean!"--her fingers were laid tightly upon his lips. "Jean, you must
not say such things! Jean, Jean, I am so far from that--so far from
that!"

He could just see her face now in the growing light--see the eyes shine
through a mist of happy tears, see those perfect lips quiver in their
smile, as she shook her head.

"But you shall see!" he told her eagerly. "A little while in
Paris--ah, Marie-Louise, that is a secret that I have for you!--a
little while there, and then you shall see! And all France shall
see--and France shall tell you that it is so! Ah, Marie-Louise,
perhaps some day they will forget Jean Laparde; but France shall always
remember one who is worthier far, and in that one see its hope, its
inspiration and its glory, for France shall never forget--Marie-Louise!"

She had slipped from his arms. Her face was full of wonder, and upon
it fell the soft glow of light that now was tinging the eastern sky.
How pure, how brave, how beautiful she was! How love shone in the eyes
that were like Heaven's stars; how the soft light seemed to caress her
face and rejoice in the radiant happiness that was there, a happiness
that even her wondering bewilderment for the moment seemed to enhance!
How the strong, young form swung free and lithesome to the lifting
deck, and found a wondrous joy in its own glorious virility!

"Jean, what do you mean?" she said breathlessly.

"You shall know!" he laughed, and laughed because there was only joy
and gladness in all the world--in the waves that tumbled and frolicked
and played, and tossed their white manes at each other and the ship; in
the breeze that sang merrily its way along on its busy errand into the
great everywhere; in the vibrant throb of the mighty ship, in that
spokesman's voice--for it was to be to-day--to-day! "You shall know,
Marie-Louise--to-night, when Father Anton is there to hear, and has
blessed us, and made Marie-Louise my little wife! And then that little
while in Paris that you will understand--and then--_home_! Ah,
Marie-Louise, can you not see it now--the blue water, blue with the
wonderful colour that only God can make, and the white beach where we
played when we were little children, a