erstood him so well, you see!

"Kiss your feet, dear?" he asked. "I would lie down in the dust for
your dear feet to walk over me. I only wonder why God should love me
so that he gave you for this one beautiful moment to me. Lou, my
dearest saint, I cannot accept your sacrifice. Dear heart! dear, dear
heart! do try and believe me, when I say that I cannot accept it. As
for imagining that I don't understand it and appreciate it, why as
soon think that to-morrow's sun will never rise. I worship you, my
saint! and I worship your love--the purest, most tender sentiment that
ever glorified this ugly world. But its sacrifice I cannot accept. I
cannot. I would sooner do that most cowardly of all deeds, end my life
here and now, than be tempted for one single instant into the
cowardice of accepting it. But the memory of it, dear, that I will
take with me. Do not think of me in future as being unhappy. No man
can be unhappy whose heart is fed on such a memory!"

He had her two hands imprisoned in his, the scent of sweet peas
floating gently to his nostrils. As he buried his lips in their
fragrant soft palms he was entirely happy. The world had floated away
from him. He was in a land of magic with her; in a land where the air
was filled with the fragrance of sweet peas, a land of phantasmagoria,
the land of Fata Morgana, which none can enter save those who love.
Time sped on, and both had forgotten the world. The fire crackled in
the hearth, the clock alone recorded the passing of time. The noise of
the great city--so cruel to those who suffer--came but as faint echo
through the closely drawn curtains.

There was a discreet knock at the door, and as no reply came from
within, it was repeated more insistently.

Luke jumped to his feet, and Louisa retreated into the shadow.

"Come in!" said Luke.

The door was opened, quite softly from outside, and the well-drilled
servant said:

"Two gentlemen to see you, sir."

"Where are they, Mary?" he asked.

"In the hall, sir."

"Did they give their names?"

"No, sir."

"Where's Miss Edie, Mary?"

"In the drawing room, sir, with Colonel Harris."

"Very well. Then show the two gentlemen into the dining-room. I'll
come in a moment."

"Very good, sir."

And the discreet little maid retired, closing the door after her.

CHAPTER XXXIV

WHICH SPEAKS ONLY OF FAREWELLS

The door had scarcely closed, and already she was near him.

"Luke," she whispered, and her voic