his way. It must end now, to-night--this very
night, Tom, dear, or we must know where we are coming out. Do you
understand?"

"Yes, Margaret," replied the man. He gripped his arm about her, and
continued passionately, "And I'm ready." In a long minute of ecstasy
they were dumb. He went on, "You have good cause--lots of cause--every
one knows that. But I--I'll make it somehow--Oh, I can make it." He set
his teeth fiercely, and repeated, "Oh, I'll make it, Margaret."

The night sounds filled their deaf ears, and the pressure of their
hands--all so new and strange--filled them with joy, but the joy was
shattered by a step upon the sidewalk, and until it died away they were
breathless. Then they sat closer together and the woman whispered:

"'And I'd turn my back upon things eternal
To lie on your breast a little while.'"

A noise in the house, perhaps of the cat moving through the room behind
them, startled them again. The man shook and the woman held her breath;
then they both smiled. "Tom--Tom--don't you see how guilty we are? We
mustn't repeat this; this is our hour, but we must understand each other
here and now." The man did not reply. He who had taken recklessly and
ruthlessly all of his life had come to a place where he must give to
take. His fortunes were tied up in his answer, so he replied: "Margaret,
you know the situation--down town?"

"The judgeship?" she asked.

"Yes."

"But that will be settled in November. After that is time enough. Oh,
eternity is time enough, Tom--I can wait and wait and wait--only if it
is to be for eternity, we must not reckon with it now."

"Oh, Margaret, Margaret, Margaret--my soul's soul--I want you. I know no
peace but to look into your eyes; I know no heaven but your smile--no
God but your possession, no hell but--but--this!" He pressed her hand to
his lips and moaned a kind of human bellow of unrequited love--some long
suppressed man's courting note that we had in the forest, and he grasped
her in a flood of passionate longing. She slipped away from him and
stood up before him and said: "No,--No, no, my dear--my dear--I love
you--Oh, I do love you, Tom--but don't--don't."

He started after her but she pushed him back with her powerful arms and
held him. "Tom, don't touch me. Tom," she panted, "Tom." Her big
meaningful eyes met his and she held him for a moment silent. He stepped
back and she smiled and kissed his forehead when he had dropped into a
chair.

"No