help it, but there is only one fear which seriously affects me."

"And that makes you pale," said Clewe. "Are you afraid that if I begin
work with the Artesian ray I shall become so interested in it that I
shall forget our friends up there in the North? There is no danger.
No matter what I might be doing with the ray, I can disconnect the
batteries in an instant, lock up the lens-house, and in the next
half-hour start for St. John's. Then I will go North if there is
anything needed to be done there which human beings can do."

She looked at him steadfastly.

"That is what I am afraid of," she said.

Roland Clewe did not immediately speak. To him Margaret Raleigh was
two persons. She was a woman of business, earnest, thoughtful, helpful,
generous, and wise; a woman with whom he worked, consulted, planned, who
made it possible for him to carry on the researches and enterprises
to which he had devoted his life. But, more than this, she was another
being; she was a woman he loved, with a warm, passionate love, which
grew day by day, and which a year ago had threatened to break down
every barrier of prudence, and throw him upon his knees before her as
a humiliated creature who had been pretending to love knowledge,
philosophy, and science, but in reality had been loving beauty and
riches. It was the fear of this catastrophe which had had a strong
influence in taking him to Europe.

But now, by some magical influence--an influence which he was not sure
he understood--that first woman, the woman of business, his partner, his
co-worker, had disappeared, and there sat before him the woman he
loved. He felt in his soul that if he tried to banish her it would be
impossible; by no word or act could he at this moment bring back the
other.

"Margaret Raleigh," he said, suddenly, "you have thrown me from my
balance. You may not believe it, you may not be able to imagine the
possibility of it, but a spirit, a fiery spirit which I have long kept
bound up within me, has burst its bonds and has taken possession of me.
It may be a devil or it may be an angel, but it holds me and rules me,
and it was set loose by the words you have just spoken. It is my love
for you, Margaret Raleigh!" He went on, speaking rapidly. "Now tell me,"
said he. "I have often come to you for advice and help--give it to me
now. In laboratory, workshop, office, with you and away from you, abroad
and at home, by day and by night, always and everywhere I have lo