om the sofa. I glanced at Robert. There was
surprise on his face, and some other emotion deep as his heart. But it
was not joy.

"Dearest, have you forgotten me so soon?" the voice asked. "Speak to me!
It's I, your June."

It was a wrench for Robert to speak, I know. There was the pull of
self-consciousness in the opposite direction--distaste for conversation
with the Invisible while alien eyes watched, alien ears listened. And
then, to reply as if to June, was virtually to admit that he believed in
her presence, that all doubt of the medium was erased from his mind. But
after a second's pause he obeyed the command.

"No," he said, "I've not forgotten and I never can forget."

"Yet you are engaged to marry this Joyce Arnold!" mourned the voice that
was like June's.

I almost jumped out of my chair at the sound of Joyce's name. It was
another proof that the medium was genuine.

Robert's tone as he answered was more convinced than before I thought.
And the youth had died out of his eyes. They looked old.

"Do you want me to live all my life alone, now that I've lost you,
June?" he asked.

"Darling, you are not alone!" answered the voice. "I'm always with you.
I love you so much that I've chosen to stay near you, and be earth
bound, rather than lead my own life on the plane where I might be. I
thought you would want me here. I thought that some day, if I tried long
enough, you would feel my touch, you would see my face. After a while I
hoped I was succeeding. I looked at you from the eyes of my portrait in
your study. Now and then it seemed as if you _knew_. But then that girl
interfered. Oh, Robert, in giving up my progression from plane to plane
till you could join me, has the sacrifice been all in vain?"

The voice wrung my heart. It shook as with a gust of fears. Its pleading
sent little stabs of ice through my veins. So what must Robert have
felt?

"No, no! The sacrifice isn't in vain!" he cried. "I didn't know, I
didn't understand that those on the other side came back to us, and
cared for us in the same way they cared on earth. I am yours now and
always, June, of course. Order my life as you will."

"Ah, my dear one, I thank you!" The voice rose high in happiness. "I
felt you wouldn't fail me if I could only _reach_ you, and at last my
prayer is answered. Nothing can separate us now through eternity if you
love me. You won't marry that girl?"

"Not if it is against your wish, June. It must be that you