"Why—but—this isn't—I don't understand! All you said—it was true, surely? It was cruel of you to make me know it was true and then come back!"
"Let me kiss you—let me, let me!" He was overwhelming her, ignoring her resistance. "I must kiss you, I must kiss you." He said it again and again.
"No, no, you shan't—you can't play with me! You said you were afraid for me, and you made me afraid, too—of my weakness—of the danger—of my longing for you——"
"Let me kiss you! Yes, you shall let me; you shall let me." His arms held her, his face touched hers.
"Aren't you afraid any more? Has a miracle happened—may we kiss in spite of to-morrow?"
Inch by inch she was relaxing. All thought was slipping away into a great white light that held no to-morrows, nor any fear of them, nor of herself, nor of anything. The light crept to her feet, rose to her heart, her head. Through the radiance came his words.
"Yes, a miracle. Oh, my dear—my little child! I've come back to kiss you, little child."
"Kiss me, then," she said against his lips.
III
Hazily she was aware that he had released her; that she had raised her head; that against the rough tweed of his shoulder there lay a long, corn-gold hair.