She is in the next room," she replied. "She does not know that you are
here, but I think you can go in unannounced."

She opened the second door for him at once and he entered. Lucia was
standing by the window and there was a faint smile on her face, but the
smile was sad. She was looking at something in her hand and Prescott's
eyes caught a yellow gleam.

His step had been so light that Lucia did not hear him. He came nearer
and she looked up. Then her hands closed quickly over the yellow gleam.

"What have you there?" asked Prescott, suddenly growing brave.

"Something that belongs to you."

"Let me see it."

She opened her hand and a gold double eagle lay in the palm.

"It is the last that you left on Miss Grayson's doorstep," she said,
"and I am going to give it back to you."

"I will take it," he said, "on one condition."

"What is that?"

"That you come with it."

She flushed a rosy red.

"Won't you come, Lucia?" he said. "Life is not life without you."

"Yes," she said softly, "I will come."

THE END.

End of Project Gutenberg's Before the Dawn, by Joseph Alexander Altsheler

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