"Why have you kept away so long?" she whispered softly. Why had I come at all! His daughter in my arms yielding herself to my embrace, and her lips to my wild kiss! Oh, it was madness! I was a traitor. "I should not have come," I groaned, "but to bid you farewell. We sail for Egypt in three days. I struggled hard to keep away, but I could not." "Why should you wish to, Hugh?" she whispered, burying her face on my shoulder. "Do you hate me so much?" "Hate you!" I drew her unresistingly into my arms again, and again my traitorous lips touched hers. Never a thought of a miserable exile dwelling amongst a strange people in deadly peril under a scorching sun, or of a hermit sybarite with the blast of fame in his ears, and all the luxuries of wealth ready to his touch, and a black lie burning in his heart! Never a thought of any save of her! Weak traitor that I was. What is there so maddeningly sweet as to love and be loved again! The world died away from me and time ceased, whilst Maud, with her lovely face wet with tears, and happy with smiles, stood clasped in my arms on the wild open moor. The wind howled around us, and the driving rain and mist beat in our faces, and the twilight deepened into darkness; but what did we care! The only light I looked for was the gleam in her soft eyes, and the only touch I felt was the beating of her heart against mine. But the time came when memory swept again into my mind, and I trembled. She saw the change pass over my face, and with a woman's marvellous quickness she divined what had caused it. But she clung the closer to me. "Hugh, is this to be the end of it?" she cried. "When you leave me, will you never come back?" and I turned away with a great sob. "Oh, that you were another man's daughter, Maud!" and she was answered. Black clouds were driving across the sky, and a black cloud settled upon my heart. The words rang in my ears. Never come back! Never come back! Never come back! A dark shape stole up to us, and stood by our side. Then there was a glad neigh and a prolonged snort. The Black Prince had recognised me, and was rubbing his nose against my coat-sleeve. "I must go, Hugh!" Slowly I lifted her into the saddle, and stood by her side in silence because I could not speak. "Hugh, kiss me once more!" She stooped down and held a white, strained face close to mine. One clinging kiss I pressed upon her quivering lips, and then I drew aside. But as she rode away into the darkness, she called to me a wild sobbing cry which the wind clashed into my ears. "Come back to me, Hugh, my love. You will come back to me," and scarce knowing what I did I answered her passionately-- "I will! I will!" * * * * *