close behind him. "A sign
of God's nearness; a proof of mine. Hugh, my own dear Knight, lift up
your head and look. Your wife has come home."

Leaping to his feet, he turned; still dazzled, incredulous.

No shadowy reflection this. His wife stood before him, fair as on her
wedding morning, a jewelled circlet clasping the golden glory of her
hair. But his eyes saw only the look in hers.

Yet he kept his distance.

"Mora?" he whispered. "Home? To stay? Hath a true vision then been
granted thee?"

"Oh, Hugh," she answered, "I have seen deep into the heart of a true
man. I have seen myself unworthy, in the light of thy great loyalty.
I have seen all others fail, but my Knight of the Silver Shield stand
faithful. I have been shewn this by so strange a chance, that I humbly
take it to be the Finger of God pointing out the pathway of His will.
My pride is in the dust. My self-will lies slain. But my love for
thee has become as great a thing as the heart of a woman may know. Thy
faithfulness shames my poor doubts of thee. The richness of thy
giving, beggars my yearning to bestow. Yet now at last thy wife can
come to thee without a doubt, without a tremor, all hesitancy gone, all
she is, and all she has, quite simply, thine. Oh, Hugh, thine own--to
do with as thou wilt. All these years--kept for thee. Take
me--Ah! . . . Oh, Hugh, thy strength! Is this love, or is there some
deeper, more rapturous word? Oh, dear man of mine, how strong must
have been the flood-gates, if this was the pent-up force behind them!"

He carried her to the hearth in the great hall, and placed her in the
chair in which his mother used to sit.

Then, his arms still around her, he kneeled before her, lifting his
face in which the dark eyes glowed with a deeper light than passion's
transient fires.

"The Madonna!" he said. "The Madonna in my home."

He stooped and lifted the hem of her robe to his lips.

"Not as Prioress," he said, "but as my adored wife."

Again he stooped and pressed it to his lips.

"Not as Reverend Mother to a score of nuns," he said, "but as----"

She caught his head between her hands, hiding his glowing eyes against
her breast.

Presently: "And did thy people come with thee, my sweetheart? And how
could a three hours' ride be accomplished in this bridal array? Oh,
Heaven help me, Mora! Thou art so beautiful!"

"Hush," she said, "thou dear, foolish man! Heaven hath helped thee
through wors