sprite, that I believed I was dreaming! Why did you fly from me?
Why?"

"It was too great, too glorious to take all at once," she said, and with
a sudden shyness she buried her face in his coat.

"My darling sweet one," he murmured, drawing her to him, passion flaming
once more. "I could have cried madly"--and he quoted in Greek:

/$
"Wilt them fly me and deny me?
By thine own joy I vow,
By the grape upon the bough,
Thou shalt seek me in the midnight, thou shalt love me even now."
$/

Mr. Carlyon had not restricted Halcyone's reading: she knew it was from
the "Bacchae" of Euripides, and answered:

"Ah, yes, and, you see, I have sought you in the midnight, and I am
here, and I love you--even now!"

After that, for a while they both seemed to fall into a dream of bliss.
They spoke not, they just sat close together, his arms encircling her,
her head upon his breast; and thus they watched the first precursors of
dawn streak the sky and, looking up, found the stars had faded.

Halcyone started to her feet.

"Ah! I must go, dear lover," she said, "though it will only be for some
few hours."

But John Derringham held her two hands, detaining her.

"I will make all the arrangements in these next few days," he said. "I
am going to Wendover for Whitsuntide. I will get away from there,
though, and come across the park and meet you, darling, here at our
tree, and we will settle exactly what to do and when to go."

Then, after a last fond, sweet embrace, he let her leave him, and
watched her as she glided away among the giant trees, until she was out
of sight, a wild glory in his heart.

For love, when he wins after stress, leaves no room but for gladness in
his worshiper's soul.

CHAPTER XIX

It was John Derringham who was taciturn next morning, not the Professor!

The light of day has a most sobering effect, and while still exalted in
a measure by all the strong forces of love, he was enabled to review
worldly events with a clearer eye, and could realize very well that he
was going to take a step which would not have a forwarding impetus upon
his career, even if it proved to be not one of retrogression.

He must give up the thought of using a rich wife as an advancement; but
then, on the other hand, he would gain a companion whose divine
sweetness would be an ennobling inspiration.

How he could ever have deceived himself in regard to his feelings he
wondered now, for he saw quite pla