"He would be furious if he guessed," objected Sophie. "Neither he nor anyone else must guess, or the charm will fail. I will send it to you in packets with the serpentine beads, and mark it 'Powder to clean the pebbles.'" "Why not give it to me?" asked Sophie. "Because I have to go away for a time, my sweet. Not for very long--" as Sophie made a movement of distress, "but I have business I must see to in town. I will send you the beads to remember me by in my absence. Will you wear them for my sake, Sophie." "I will wear them night and day, but I need no reminders of you, Lucius. But you--will you forget me in London? It is so big and far away and full of great ladies who will put your poor Sophie out of remembrance. Lucius, Lucius. . . ." "My sweet, silly little Sophie," he whispered, soothing her as she clung to him, "how can you misjudge me so? Is not one black hair from your head, one glance from your blue eyes, dearer to me than all the women in the world? What have I done that you should think so ill of me?" "Forgive me, dear. I know men are not like women, and I cannot see what there is in me to hold you--except my love for you. No other women could love you half so well, Lucius. It is my only gift, but it at least could not be bettered by anyone." "I know it, my sweet," he told her, "and when your father is of a better mind towards me you shall give me your love before all the world, and then I need no longer travel alone. Would you like to see London, heart of mine?" "Ah, with you!" breathed Sophie. "Once, before I met you, I thought of nothing but London, and how I meant some day to be a great lady there, but now I think of nothing but to be with you. Perhaps, after all, this is what the Wise Woman meant and my golden ladder is my love for you, and I've climbed on it from loneliness to joy." "A Jacob's ladder, for the feet of an angel, then, my Sophie." "If it could only reach from here to London! Oh, Lucius, need you go?" "I must, my sweet. Don't make it harder for me." That checked her plaint at once, as he knew it would. "When do you go?" she asked quietly. "In a day or two, sweetheart. Ah, Sophie, how shall I live without you?" While she comforted him, forgetting self, he made a mental calculation as to how soon he could get away. He kissed Sophie's hair somewhat absently.