caused him to turn his
face again towards her, she saw an expression of unutterable pain in
his features, usually so well controlled. Then she also felt the growing
power of a great and courageous resolution. Her mind rose from the low
level of selfish passion to the height of self-sacrificing renunciation.
But it had never been her way to do by halves what she had once
determined to carry out. What was to be done admitted no cowardly delay,
no tender leave-taking must allow Heideck to guess that a knowledge of
his intentions had decided her course of action.

With that heroic self-command of which, perhaps, only a woman is capable
in such circumstances, she forced herself to appear outwardly calm and
composed.

"Then I am no longer anxious about our future, my friend," she said
after a long silence, smiling painfully. "I will not detain you any
longer now; for I know that your duties as a soldier must stand first. I
am happy that I have been permitted to see you again. Not to hinder your
doing your duty in this serious time of war, I give you your freedom.
Perhaps your love will some day bring you back to me of your own accord.
And now, farewell."

Her sudden resolution and the calmness with which she resigned herself
to this second separation must have seemed almost incomprehensible to
Heideck after what had passed. But her beautiful face betrayed so little
of the desperate hopelessness she felt, that, after a brief hesitation,
he regarded this singular change in the same light as the numerous other
surprises to which her mysterious nature had already treated him. She
had spoken with such quiet firmness, that he could no longer look upon
her resolution as the suggestion of a perverse or angry whim.

"For God's sake, Edith, what do you intend to do?"

"I shall try to return to Dover to-morrow. I should only be in your way
here."

"In that case, we should not see each other again before you leave?"

"You said yourself that there was little chance of that."

"I am not my own master, and this information--"

"No excuse is necessary; no regard for me should hinder you in the
performance of your official duties. Once again then, good-bye, my dear,
my beloved friend! May Heaven protect you!"

She flung herself on his breast and kissed him; but only for a few
seconds did her soft arm linger round his neck. She did not wish to give
way, and yet she felt that she would not be able to control herself
much longer. She