faith, now, is as deep as the sea.
And you, too, must have faith."

"She is more precious to me than life--a thousand lives, if I had them,"
whispered Jolly Roger. "If anything should happen--now--"

"Yes, if the thing you fear should happen, what then?" cried Father
John, faith ringing like a note of inspiration in his low voice. "What,
then, Roger? You did not kill Jed Hawkins. If the law compels you to pay
a price for the errors it believes you have committed, will that price
be so terribly severe?"

"Prison, Father. Probably five years."

Father John laughed softly, the star-glow revealing a radiance in his
face.

"Five years!" he repeated. "Oh, my boy, my dear boy, what are five years
to pay for such a treasure as that which has come into your possession
tonight? Five short years--only five. And she waiting for you, proud of
you for those very achievements which sent you to prison, planning for
all the future that lies beyond those five short years, growing sweeter
and more beautiful for you as she waits--Roger, is that a very great
sacrifice? Is it too great a price to pay? Five years, and after
that--peace, love, happiness for all time? Is it, Roger?"

McKay felt his voice tremble as he tried to answer.

"But she, father--"

"Yes, yes, I know what you would say," interrupted Father John gently.
"I argued with her, just as you would have argued, Roger. I appealed
to her reason. I told her that if you returned it would mean prison for
you, and strangely I said that same thing--five years. But I found her
selfish, Roger, very selfish--and set upon her desire beyond all reason.
And it was she who asked first those very questions I have asked you
tonight. 'What are five years?' she demanded of me, defying my logic.
'What are five years--or ten--or twenty, IF I KNOW I AM TO HAVE HIM
AFTER THAT?' Yes, she was selfish, Roger. Just that great is her love
for you."

"Dear God in Heaven," breathed Jolly Roger, and stopped, his eyes
staring wide at the stars.

"And after that, after I had given in to her selfishness, Roger, she
planned how we--she and I--would live very near to the place where they
imprisoned you, and how each day some sight or sign should pass between
you, and the baby--"

"The baby, Father?"

"Thus it seems she dreams, Roger. She, in the wilfulness of her desire
and selfishness--"

With a choking cry Roger bowed his face in his hands.

For a moment Father John was silent. And then he sai