Heaven help the
other man!"

She watched him with curious dismay. Never could she have believed that
the touch of a man's hand could thrill her; never had she imagined that
the words of a man could set her heart leaping to meet his stammered
vows. A new shame set her very limbs quaking as she strove to rise. The
distress in her eyes, the new fear, the pitiful shyness, called to him
for mercy.

For a miracle he understood the mute appeal, and he took her hand in his
quietly and bade her good-night, saying he would stay and smoke awhile.

"Good-night," she said; "I am really tired. I would rather you stayed
here. Do you mind?"

"No," he said.

"Then I shall go back alone."

He watched her across the lawn. When she had gone half-way, she looked
back and saw him standing there in the moonlight.

And that night, as her little silver hand-glass reflected her brilliant
cheeks, she veiled her face in her bright hair and knelt down by her
bedside.

But all she could say was, "I love him--truly I love him!" which was one
kind of prayer, after all.

IV

A deep, sweet happiness awoke her ere the earliest robin chirped. Never
since the first pink light touched Eden had such a rosy day dawned for
any maid on earth.

She awoke in love; her enchanted eyes unclosed on a world she had never
known.

Unashamed, she held out her arms to the waking world and spoke her
lover's name aloud. Then the young blood leaped in her, and her eyes
were like stars after a rain.

Oh, she must hasten now, for there was so little time to live in the
world, and every second counted. Healthy of body, wholesome of soul,
innocent and ardent in her new-born happiness, she could scarcely endure
the rush of golden moments lost in an impetuous bath, in twisting up her
bright hair, in the quick knotting of a ribbon, the click of a buckle on
knee and shoe.

Then, as she slipped down the stairs into the darkened hall, trepidation
seized her, for she heard his step.

He came swinging along the hallway; she stood still, trembling. He came
up quickly and took her hands; she did not move; his arm encircled her
waist; he lifted her head; it lay back on his shoulder, and her eyes met
his.

"All day together," he was saying; and her soul leaped to meet his
words, but she could not speak.

He held her at arms'-length, laughing, a little troubled.

"Mystery of mysteries," he said, under his breath; "there is some
blessed Heaven-directed mistake in