f sleep and waking. But at sight
of her trembling figure he seemed to come to himself, and tried to
break loose from the spell.

"Kyllikki...!" he said imploringly.

She sat up, sobbing, and gazed at him as at one whom she did not know.

"Kyllikki, poor child!" he said brokenly, and sat down by her side.
But his own voice sounded strange in his ears, and he could say no
more--he felt as if he were a ghost, not daring to speak to a living
human creature.

At sight of his unspoken misery, Kyllikki felt her own dread rise up
stronger than ever.

"I knew the suffering would come," she said mournfully. "So many have
had their place in your heart that I could not hope to fill it all
myself at first. But I love you so, and I felt so strong, I thought
I could win my way into it little by little until it was all mine ...
and now...." She broke off, and fell to sobbing anew.

Olof would have given anything to speak to her then, but found no
words.

"And it is so terrible to see it all and be helpless," she went on.
"You are a wanderer still--and I cannot hold you ... you leave me--for
those that wait for you...."

"O Heaven!" cried Olof in agony. "Kyllikki, don't--don't speak like
that. You know I do not care for any other--would not be with any
other but you."

"But you go--even against your will. And they come towards you
smiling. I am all alone--and they are so many. And they must
win--for I can give no more than one woman can. But they are for ever
whispering to you of what a woman can give but once in her life--each
in her own way...."

"Kyllikki!" Olof broke in imploringly.

But she went on unheeding, pouring out her words like a stream in
flood-time.

"And they hate me because I thought to keep you for myself alone. And
while you lie in my arms, they come smiling and whispering and thread
their arms between us and offer you their lips...."

"Kyllikki!" he cried again, and grasped at her hand like a drowning
man.

"And then--then it is no longer me you hold in your arms, but those
others; not my lips, but theirs, you kiss...." She tore her hand away,
and broke out weeping anew.

Olof sat as if turned to stone. The thing was said--it was as if a
secret curse was for ever dogging his footsteps, and spreading poison
all around.

Kyllikki's despair gathered and grew like an avalanche. What a blind
self-deceit their life had been! How they had hoped and dreamed--with
a gulf of naked hopelessness on every