IN THE DARK. 215
kenly. "If I could only feel that he would shelter and shield you!"
"That may be as it will," replied the sweet, patient lips. "I do not know. I shut my eyes to the future. I only want to take myself away from you, so that your God will not be angry with you. Up there," she said, pointing, "I will meet you sometime and be with you forever. God will not be angry then. Now farewell."
He advanced with outstretched arms. She mo tioned him back.
"It will make it harder," she said.
For a moment she looked into his eyes, her own dark, dilated, full of love and sadness; for a moment all that was within him thrilled to the passionate, yearn ing tenderness of her gaze; then she turned and went away without a word.
He could not bear to see her go, and yet he knew it must end thus; he dared not follow her or call her back. But so intense was his desire for her to return, so vehemently did his life cry out after her, that for an instant it seemed to him he had called out, "Come back! come back!" The cry rose to his lips; but he set his teeth and held it back. They must part; was it not God s will? The old pain at his heart re turned, a faintness was on him, and he reeled to the ground.
Could it be that her spirit felt that unuttered cry, and that it brought her back? Be this as it may, while he was recovering from his deadly swoon he dimly felt her presence beside him, and the soft cool touch of her fingers on his brow. Then or did he imagine it? her lips, cold as those of
