scarcely daring to breathe for fear of waking her, and breaking
the spell which seemed to hold him, also, in a sleep of enchantment. He
made up his mind deliberately that he would remain and be near her when
she waked. He had kept himself away from her long enough. Now he must
see and talk with her. He sat so for some time, the red roses in his
hands, and his steady, grave, intense dark eyes fastened upon her face.
Presently a long, deep sigh escaped her, and the fair figure on the
lounge moved slightly, and then settled into more profound repose. It
was evident that she was sleeping soundly. A thought occurred to Noel,
and moving with infinite cautiousness and slowness he took the roses one
by one and laid them over her white dress. One of her arms was raised
above her head, so that her cheek rested against it, and the other lay
along her side, the hand relaxed and empty.

As he was putting the last rose in its place, he observed this little,
fragile left hand particularly and saw a thing that made his heart
throb: the wedding-ring was gone from it. Christine was free indeed!
Here was the sign and token before his very eyes. Being free he might
win her for his own. The force of his love in this minute seemed strong
enough for any task. Oh, if he could only be patient! He felt it very
hard--the hardest task that could beset him, but he gathered all the
strength that was in him for a great resolve of patience. The
sacredness of it rendered it a prayer.

And Christine slept on profoundly. He had known each moment that she
might wake and discover him, but he felt himself prepared for that.
He looked at her and realized that she was well, for in spite of her
pallor, she had the look of youthful health and strength, and he said
to himself that his banishment was over and the time to set himself to
the task before him was come.

As he kept his eyes upon her lovely face a sudden little smile lifted,
ever so slightly, the corners of her mouth, as if there were pleasure in
her dream. The man's heart thrilled to see it. If a dream could make her
smile--if the power to smile remained to her--reality should do it, too.
If he could just be patient! If he could keep down the longing in his
heart that clamored for relief in uttered words!

A piece of wood upon the fire fell apart, sending up a bright little
blaze. The sound of it wakened Christine. Still with the memory of that
dream upon her she opened her eyes, and met Noel's ga