to cherish any illusions upon the
subject.

"You said you had some serious talk for me, sweetheart," he said. "Now
begin."

"It's about father. He keeps dinning into me that you--that you--are
not doing well."

"He's right there," said Wyvern, grimly. "And then?"

"And then--well, I lost my temper."

"You have a temper then?"

She nestled closer to his side, and laid her head against him.

"Haven't I--worse luck!"

He laughed, softly, lovingly.

"Well, I'll risk that. But, why did you lose it?"

"He told me--he said--that things ought not to go on any longer between
us," answered the girl, slowly.

"Oh, he said that did he? What if he should be right?"

She started to her feet, and her eyes dilated as she fixed them upon his
face; her own turning ghastly white.

"You say that--_you_? _If_ he should be right?"

Wyvern rose too. The greyness which had superseded the bronze of his
face was an answer to her white one.

"I am ruined," he said. "Is it fair to bind you to a broken and ruined
man, one who, short of a miracle, will never be anything else?"

"You mean that? That he might be right?" she repeated.

The ashen hue deepened on his countenance.

"In your own interest--yes. As for me, the day that I realised I should
see you no more in the same way, as I see you now--that is as _mine_--
would be my last on earth," he said, his voice breaking, in a very
abandonment of passion and despair. Then with an effort, "But there.
It was cowardly of me to tell you that."

"Oh, love--love!" Now they were locked in a firm embrace, and their
lips met again and again. In the reaction great tears welled from her
eyes, but she was smiling through them. "Now I am answered," she went
on, "I thought I knew what happiness was, but, if possible, I never did
until this moment."

"Did you think I was going to give you up then?" he said, a trifle
unsteadily.

"Don't ask me what I thought I only know I seem to have lived a hundred
years in the last minute or so."

"And I?"

"You too. You have an expressive face, my ideal?"

"Listen, Lalante. How long have we known each other?"

"Since I first came home. Just a year."

"And how long have we loved each other?"

"Exactly the same time, to a minute."

"Yes. And have we ever had the slightest misunderstanding or exchanged
one single word that jarred or rankled?"

"Never."

"Why not?"

"Because of our love--our complete and perfect love."