down?" he looked at Seraphine and the doctor who nodded gravely.

"You must find Penelope and tell her that--that she made a mistake to go
away. I understand why she did it, but it was a mistake. Tell her I said
that we all of us have a whole lot to be sorry for and we must not only
ask to be forgiven, but we must be glad to accept the forgiveness of
others for--for whatever we have done that is wrong, and we must believe
that they are sincere in forgiving us. Tell her that I would have been
glad to--to forgive her for--for everything."

His strength was evidently failing and the doctor told him that he had
better not try to talk any more. But Christopher smiled in that quaint
brave way that I knew so well and lifted his thin white hands in
protest.

"Just one thing more--please. It won't make any particular difference,
doc, and I want to say it. I want you to be sure to tell her this--write
it down. Tell her two things. One is that there isn't any argument about
my loving her because I am dying for her--now--that's a fact. There
isn't anything else I want to live for if I can't have Penelope. The
other thing is that--" He paused as a violent spasm of coughing shook
his wasted body, and again the doctor told him to be quiet, but he gave
no heed.

"The other thing is--be sure to tell her this--that I would sooner have
lived with Penelope--I don't care how many devils she was possessed
with--than with all the saints in the calendar. I loved her--" He
struggled to raise himself and then lifting his voice in a supreme
effort, "I loved her good or bad. I--I couldn't help loving her.
There--that's all. Let me sign it."

This was too much for me. As I saw my dear love tracing his name with
painful strokes, I could control myself no longer and rushed out of the
darkness to him, feeling that I must cry out wildly against his leaving
me. I must fight the grim shadows that were enveloping him. I must keep
him for myself by the fierce power of my love.

Just then a great glare from the torches filled the chamber and
Christopher's eyes met mine. I stood speechless, choked with emotion,
and as I tried to force my will against these obstacles of weakness, the
cry of the pilgrims resounded from the streets below, a vast
soul-stirring cry:

"_Hosanna! hosanna au fils de David!_"

At this I fell on my knees by the bedside and buried my face in my
hands. I realized suddenly that it was not for me to dispute God's will
even for t