ngs that might make a beautiful life of your own, you must
remember one thing, that I may not be there always. In fact," she
corrected herself with a smile, "to say _may_ not is taking a
rose-coloured view, that I _shall_ not be there always. And who knows?
The moment of our separation may not be so far off."

Rachel looked up hurriedly, much perturbed.

"Why are you saying this now?" she said. "You have seemed so much better
lately. You are very well, aren't you, mother? You are looking very
well."

Lady Gore had a moment of wondering whether she should tell her daughter
what she knew, what she expected herself, but she looked at Rachel's
anxious, quivering face and refrained.

"It is something that ought to be said at this moment," she answered.
"You have come to a parting of the ways. This is the moment to show you
the signposts, to help you to choose the best road."

"Listen, mother," said Rachel earnestly. "In this case I am sure I know
by myself which is the best road to choose. I am perfectly clear that as
long as I have you I shall stay with you. That I mean to do," she
continued with unwonted decision. "And besides, if--if you were no
longer there, how could I leave my father?"

"Ah," said Lady Gore, "I wanted to say that to you. Now, as we are
speaking of it, let us talk it out, let us look at it in the face.
Consider the possibility, Rachel, the probability that I may be taken
from you; my dream would be that you should make your own life with some
one that you care about, and yet not part it entirely from your
father's, that while he is there he should not be left. If I thought
that, do you know, it would be a very great help to me," she said,
forcing herself to speak steadily, but unable to hide entirely the
wistful anxiety in her tone.

"I will never, never leave him," Rachel said. "I promise you that I
never will."

"Then I can look forward," her mother said, "as peacefully, I don't say
as joyfully, as I look back. Twenty-four years, nearly twenty-five," she
went on, half to herself and looking dreamily upwards, "we have been
married. You don't know what those years mean, but some day I hope you
will. I pray that you may know how the lives and souls of two people who
care for one another absolutely grow together during such a time."

"It is beautiful," Rachel said softly, "to know that there is such
happiness in the world," and her own new happiness leapt to meet the
assurance of the years.