interpreting this relinquishment of ownership,
felt the blood receding from her own checks. Two utterly foolish
creatures, and yet their folly is not to be argued away by the wise men.
For while it is the accepted theory that a woman always knows when she
is loved (with which men please themselves), and _per contra_ that a man
is never unconscious of the favor in which he stands (with which women
torment themselves), yet the truth is that neither man nor woman is ever
certain of the fact until it is finally proclaimed in actual speech. So
this is why lovers are always being asked to repeat and repeat again the
magic words upon which all their happiness depends.

"The reason--you know--the reason why," he stammered, and then she came
to his aid.

"Yes, I know, but _tell_ me."

And thereupon he did tell her.

A year later, and Constans and his wife sat on a high point of land that
overlooked the waters of the Lower bay and the broad, salt sea beyond
the dunes. Several of Constans's neat-cattle had strayed, and he had
determined to ride to the fishermen's village below the Narrows to
inquire if the estrays had been seen in that direction. Esmay had
accompanied him, and they had been all day in the saddle and were weary.
Nevertheless, they were satisfied, for the lost cattle had been
recovered, and in the morning the herdsmen would be sent over to drive
them home.

They had shared a frugal supper of bread and cheese and dried grapes,
and now they were waiting until the horses should have cropped their
fill. There was no hurry, the moon not rising for an hour yet, and it
was useless to arrive at the Kills before the time of slack water.
Constans had his back against a pine-stump, and Esmay's head rested on
her husband's shoulder. They sat in silence, gazing out upon the gray
sea, content in their present happiness and looking forward to a yet
greater one in the near future. For to Constans Esmay had just made a
wife's final confession, the secret being whispered into his inmost ear,
though there was only the land and the sea to overhear.

Suddenly, on the darkened eastern sky-line, a bright light flashed out,
in color like to a star, and yet incomparably more brilliant. And the
light was not fixed, but continually changed its base, as was shown by
the broad band of rays that now swept the surface of the sea and then
traced their luminous way on the overhanging clouds. Another shift and
the shining pathway reached to t