thought I could not change, that I
should always worship the beauty of exteriors. I told him the
parable--and he went away--to send me what he thought I wanted!..."

Miss Mallory had come with a tribute of praise to a great artist. She
found a woman who was suffering, as she had suffered, in part. A great
mystery, too, she found. It was almost too sacred for her to try to
penetrate, because it had to do with him.... She wondered at Miss
Truba's inability to speak, or to help herself in any way with the
things that pressed her heart to aching fullness.... She had found it
wonderfully restoring to talk of him--with a woman who knew him--and
who granted his greatness from every point.

The long afternoon waned, but still the women were together. All that
had taken place was very clear to Beth--even this woman's ministerings.

"And he is better--beyond words, better!" Miss Mallory added. "I
received a note from him this morning. The _Hatteras_ arrived
yesterday. I came up on the _Henlopen_ eight days ago. So it was my
first word. Something great has happened. He is changed and lifted."

"Has Mr. Framtree finished his mission?" Beth asked.

"Yes. He intends to go back to-morrow afternoon. He finished sooner
than he thought. He is going to help Mr. Bedient in the administration
of the vast property.... It seems that no one ever touches Mr. Bedient,
but that some great good comes to him. I am going back, too----"

"To live?"

"Yes." Miss Mallory explained what Dictator Jaffier had done for her,
adding:

"It was all Mr. Bedient's doing.... You see what I mean, about the
wonderful things that happen to others--where he is.... Yet I would
rather have that picture of him you painted--than all Equatoria--but
even that should not belong to one----"

"You love him then?" Beth asked softly.

"I dared that at first, but I didn't understand. He is too big to
belong that way.... I would rather be a servant in his house--than the
wife of any other man I ever knew. I am that--in thought--and I shall
be near him!"

After a moment, Beth _heard_ the silence--and drew her thoughts back to
the hour. She seemed to have gone to the utmost pavilions of
tragedy--far beyond the sources of tears--where only the world's
strongest women may venture. The Shadowy Sister was there.... Beth had
come back with humility, which she could not reveal.

The dusk was closing about them.

"You have been good to come--good to tell me these things,"