He looked at her and laughed. “This moment is ours,” he said with tremulous passion. “God cannot pluck it from us. It is an immortal moment, if our souls are immortal. Child, can God take you away from me before I have kissed you on the mouth?” He held her face between his hands and kissed her. “Darling, I have taken your white soul into mine,” he said. Then they stood apart on that bridge. “And now,” she said, “you must never frighten me with your strange words again. I do not know what you mean sometimes, but then that is because I don't know very much. I feel that you are good and true, and I have trusted you.” “I will be true to you,” he said gently. “I will die loving you better than any hope man has of heaven. Daireen, never dream, whatever may happen, that I shall not love you while my soul lives.” “I will believe you,” she said; and then voices were heard coming down the lane of aloes at the other side of the river--voices and the sound of a horse's hoofs. Colonel Gerald and Major Crawford were coming along leading a horse, across whose saddle lay a black mass. Oswin Markham gave a start. Then Daireen's father hastened forward to where she was standing. “Child,” he said quickly, “go back--go back to the house. I will come to you in a few minutes.” “What is the matter, papa?” she asked. “No one is hurt?--Major Crawford is not hurt?” “No, no, he is here; but go, Daireen--go at once.” She turned and went up the avenue without a word. But she saw that Oswin was not looking at her--that he was grasping the rail of the bridge while he gazed to where the horse with its burden stood a few yards away among the aloes. “I am glad you chance to be here, Markham,” said Colonel Gerald hurriedly. “Something has happened--that man Despard----” “Not dead--not murdered!” gasped Oswin, clutching the rail with both hands. “Murdered? no; how could he be murdered? he must have fallen from his horse among the trees.” “And he is dead--he is dead?” “Calm yourself, Markham,” said the colonel; “he is not dead.” “Not in that sense, my boy,” laughed Major Crawford. “By gad, if we could leave the brute up to the neck in the river here for a few hours I fancy he would be treated properly. Hold him steady, Markham.” Oswin put his hand mechanically to the feet of the man who was lying helplessly across the saddle. “Not dead, not dead,” he whispered. “Only dead drunk, unless his skull is fractured, my boy,” laughed the major. “We'll take him to the stables, of course, George?” “No, no, to the house,” said Colonel Gerald. “Run on and get the key of the stables, George,” said the major authoritatively. “Don't you suppose in any way that your house is to be turned into an hospital for dipsomaniacs. Think of the child.” Colonel Gerald made a little pause, and then hastened forward to awaken the groom to get the key of the stables, which were some distance from the cottage.