n't matter now
whether you know or not, it is so near the end."

Elisabeth put her strong arms round him, and kissed him as he asked.
"Chris, dear," she whispered, "I want to tell you that I love you, and
that I've always loved you, and that I always shall love you; but I've
only just found it out."

Christopher was silent for a moment, and clasped her very close. But he
was not so much surprised as he would have been had Elisabeth made such
an astounding revelation to him in the days of his health. When one is
drawing near to the solution of the Great Mystery, one loses the power
of wondering at anything.

"How did you find it out, my dearest?" he asked at last.

"Through finding out that you loved me. It seems to me that my love was
always lying in the bank at your account, but until you gave a cheque
for it you couldn't get at it. And the cheque was my knowing that you
cared for me."

"And how did you find that out, Betty?"

"I was rummaging in the safe just now for the plans of the Osierfield,
and I came upon your letter."

"I didn't mean you to read that while I was alive; but, all the same, I
think I am rather glad that you did."

"And I am glad, too. I wish I hadn't always been so horrid to you,
Chris; but I believe I should have loved you all the time, if only you
had given me the chance. Still, I was horrid--dreadfully horrid; and now
it is too late to make it up to you." And Elisabeth's eyes filled with
tears.

"Don't cry, my darling--please don't cry. And, besides, you have made it
up to me by loving me now. I am glad you understand at last, Betty; I
did so hope you would some day."

"And you forgive me for having been so vile?"

"There is nothing to forgive, sweetheart; it was my fault for not making
you understand; but I did it for the best, though I seem to have made a
mess of it."

"And you like me just the same as you did before I was unkind to you?"

"My dear, don't you know?"

"You see, Chris, I was wanting you to be nice to me all the
time--nothing else satisfied me instead of you. And when you seemed not
to like me any longer, but to care for doing your duty more than for
being with me, I got sore and angry, and decided to punish you for
making a place for yourself in my heart and then refusing to fill it."

"Well, you did what you decided, as you generally do; there is no doubt
of that. You were always very prone to administer justice and to
maintain truth, Elisabeth, and you cer