ped, and put his strong arms
about her. What mattered it now that he had been falsely accused--what
mattered it to either of them that he must accept the grim penalty of
his endeavor? With them in the soft gloom was nothing but love, and
faith, and innocence; and within the strong arms a sense of absolute
security, as though the false accusing world had been baffled, beaten
down, and the victory theirs--love.

He raised the girl's face and kissed her. "Let God witness that I press
your brave lips in innocence," he said; "and in this pledge I love you
forever and ever."

"Amen," came from Allis involuntarily; it sounded to them both like the
benediction of a high priest.

"Amen,--" he responded. To speak again would have been sacrilege.

He put her from him gently, turned away and walked quickly from the
house.

The girl sat for a long time a gray shadow in the gathering darkness.
He was gone from her. It seemed as though she had scarce spoken the
encouragement she wished to give him. It had been a meeting almost
without words; but she felt strangely satisfied. The accusing revelation
that had come from Crane in the afternoon had been a crushing blow. It
was a mistake, of course; it wasn't true--somehow it wasn't true, but
still it had stunned. Now in the gloaming she sat with an angel of
peace; big, steadfast, honest eyes, full of thankfulness, looked
lovingly at her from where he had stood. If she could sit there forever,
with the echo of his deep "Amen" to their love lingering in her ears,
she would ask no further gift of the gods.

Mortimer, as with swinging stride he hurried toward the village, let his
mind flit back to the room of gray shadows. How little he had said!
Had there been aught spoken at all? The strong arms still tingled with
tender warmth where the impress of an angel had set them thrilling
ecstatically. Yes, what mattered their speech? There had been little
of the future--no promise to send word of his well-being--but let the
future look to itself. In the present he was king of a love realm that
was greater than all the world.

Field after field flitted by, studded here and there by square, gray
specters of ghost-like houses that blinked at him with red dragon eyes.
Sub-consciously he knew the eyes were searching out the secret that made
him in all his misery of misfortune so happy. And he would answer to the
eyes, dragon or human, without fear and without shame--because he was
innocent--that