As she raised her eyes to his it seemed to Darrell that he was looking

into the face of one of the saints whom the old masters loved to portray

centuries ago, so spiritual was it, so devoid of everything of earth!

"Kathie, darling," he said, clasping her hands tenderly, "I do

understand, and, thank God, I believe I am able to reciprocate your love

with one as chastened and pure. When I left The Pines last fall I did so

because I could not any longer endure to be near you, loving you as I

did. I felt in some blind, unreasoning way that it was wrong, and yet I

knew that to cease to love you was an impossibility. But in the solitude

of the mountains God showed me a better way. He showed me the true

meaning of those words, 'In the resurrection they neither marry nor are

given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.' Those words

had always seemed to me austere and cold, as though they implied that

our poor love would be superseded by higher attributes possessed by the

angelic hosts, of which we knew nothing. Now I know that they mean that

our human love shall be refined from all the dross of earthly passion,

purified and exalted above mortal conception. I prayed that my love for

you might be in some such measure refined and purified, and I know that

prayer has been answered. I pledge you that love, Kathie; a love that

will never wrong you even in thought; that you can trust in all the days

to come as ready to defend or protect you if necessary, and as always

seeking your best and highest happiness."

"Thank you, John," she said, and bowed her head above their clasped

hands for a moment.

When she raised her head her eyes were glistening. "We need not be

afraid or ashamed to acknowledge love such as ours," she said, proudly;

"and with the assurance you have given me I shall have strength and

courage, whatever may come. I must go," she added, lifting her face to

his; "I want your kiss now, John, rather than amid all the meaningless

kisses that will be given me after the ceremony."

Their lips met in a lingering kiss, then she silently withdrew from the

room.

As she crossed the hall Walcott suddenly brushed past her breathlessly,

without seeing her, and ran swiftly downstairs. His evident excitement

caused her to pause for an instant; as she did, she heard him exclaim,

in a low, angry tone and with an oath,-"You dog! What brings you here? How dare you come here?"

There came a low reply in Spanish, followed by a few quick, sharp words

from Walcott in the same tongue, but which by their inflection Kate

understood to be an exclamation and a question.




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