e?"

"I did not know you were here; but I am very glad to speak to you--to
welcome you home," I said, giving him my hand.

"You seem like one come back to me from the dead," he said, soberly,
still holding my hand.

"I am not sure if it was not you who held me back from those shining
gates."

"What do you mean?"

"When you held my hand through that long night, I thought but for your
firm grasp I should drift out of reach of life altogether."

"I tried to pray that night, Medoline, as I had never done before; I
believe my prayers were answered."

"Then you have found that the Bible is true?" I asked, looking up eagerly
into his face.

"Yes, every day more clearly."

"Then it was well worth all the weariness and pain I endured to have you
say this; but have you fully forgiven me, Mr. Winthrop, and may we take
up our friendship as before?"

"Must we take it up as before, Medoline? I have found I cannot be
satisfied with your friendship only?"

"I do not understand you."

"You drove me away, and you have forced me to return--must I leave again?
I cannot remain near you any longer with our relation to each other
unchanged. I must have your love or nothing. Friendship between us, and
nothing more, is out of the question. Can you not learn to love me,
Medoline?"

I turned and placed both my hands in his.

"Does this mean love instead of fear? Remember you told me not long ago
you were afraid of me; answer me truly, little one; do hand and heart go
together?"

"If you care to have them," I murmured softly, "but, have you forgotten
Mrs. Le Grande?"

"Long ago I ceased to think of her, only as one may remember a brief
surrender to an ignoble passion. The mistake I made was in measuring
womanhood generally by her standard--you have taught me, my darling, that
angels have not yet ceased to visit our poor earth."

"Oh, Mr. Winthrop, you must not go to the other extreme or I shall soon
disappoint you."

"You are all I could wish, Medoline. If it were possible I would not ask
any change in mind or body, my Eve--fresh from the hand of God."

His words frightened me; for how could I ever fulfill his expectations?
He read my face.

"Are you sure, Medoline, you love me as I want to be loved by my wife?
Have you gained your woman's heart with its full capacity for love or
suffering, or are you still only a child?"

"I could die for you, Mr. Winthrop, if it were for your good; I do not
ask for anything better t