"Still lies to me? Beautiful Ruth--never more
beautiful than now, even when you lied to me with your eyes and your
smiles and your promises! The man is nothing. He came like a snake to
me, and his life is worth no more than the life of a snake. Let him
live, let him die; it is no matter. But you, Ruth! I am not even
angered. I see you already from a great distance, a beautiful, evil
thing that has been so close to me. For you have been closer to me than
you are now that my arm is around you, touching you for the last time,
holding your warmth and your tender body, keeping both your hands, which
are smaller and softer than the hands of a child. But mighty hands,
nevertheless.

"They have held the heart of David, and they have almost thrown his soul
into eternal hellfire. Yet you have been closer to me than you are now.
You have been in my heart of hearts. And I take you from it sadly--with
regret, for the sin of loving you has been sweet."

She had been sobbing softly all this time, but now she mastered herself
long enough to draw back a little, taking his hands with a desperate
eagerness, as though they gave her a hold upon his mind.

"Give me one minute to speak out what I have to say. Will you give me
one half minute, David?"

His glance rose past her, higher, until it was fixed on the east, and as
he stood there with his head far back Connor guessed for the first time
at the struggle which was going on within him. The girl pressed closer
to him, drawing his hands down as though she would make him stoop to
her.

"Look at me, David!"

"I see your face clearly."

"Still, look at me for the one last time."

"I dare not, Ruth!"

"But will you believe me?"

"I shall try. But I am glad to hear your voice, for the last time."

"I've come to you like a cheat, David, and I've tried to win you in
order to steal the horses away, but I've stayed long enough to see the
truth.

"If everything in the valley were offered me--the horses and the
men--and everything outside of the valley, without you, I'd throw them
away. I don't want them. Oh, if prayers could make you believe, you'd
believe me now; because I'm praying to you, David.

"You love me, David. I can feel you trembling, and I love you more than
I ever dreamed it was possible to love. Let me come back to you. I don't
want the world or anything that's in it. I only want you. David--I only
want you! Will you believe me?"

And Connor saw David of Eden sway wi