"You were made for me--dear. In my dreams there has always been a girl like you--little and white and helpless--but vivid, too, in flashes. When I saw you for the first time in that dark room on that rainy day I knew that you were--mine. I know I'm not good enough for you. I know that if you should ever marry me I should thank God on my knees every day of my life. But it isn't conceit which makes me believe that you and I have been coming toward each other always. I don't know why you gave me back the silver ring. At this moment I don't care--although the other night my world went to pieces--but just now, what you said,--and the way you said it, that you would fly with me forever,--made me feel that all the things I had hoped were true----" Bettina felt as if their souls were bared. What conventional thing could she say which would hide her joy? Her eyes would tell him though her lips might not. As if he read her thoughts he bent down to her. "Look at me," he urged, and again, "My dear one--is it, then, really--true?" * * * * * She knew now that she was Justin's and he was hers until the end of time. By all the white wonder of her thoughts she knew it. By all the quickened blood in her beating heart. What she had felt for Anthony was the affection of an unawakened nature--she had given him gratitude, friendship--but between them were the years across which she must look somewhat timidly; between them was his sadness, which oppressed her, and his profession, which she feared. But here was youth, which she understood, and romance, for which she had longed, and love at white-heat. Thus, as she soared with Justin, she forgot past promises and future judgments, and whispered, "It is true----" After that they talked in the language of youth and love. "Do you know how pretty you are?" "You think that I am pretty because you--like me." "I think it because I--love you." The echo of their light laughter went trailing after them as the song of a lark trails through the blue. Softly, at last, Justin brought his shining ship down to the surface of a little bay. Two men at work on the beach came out in a dory in answer to his call. They were eager and curious, and glad to tow the queer craft into shallow water, to make it fast, and to watch it for a time. "We will walk about for a bit," Justin said to Bettina, "and go back at sunset." Bettina demurred. "It's really late now," she said, with her eyes on the eastern horizon, where the first gray haze of twilight was beginning to gather. "Look the other way. There's all the gold of the west, and it won't be dark for hours." "But Sophie will worry." "She will think you're with Anthony--he's nice and safe." "Perhaps some one will have seen us, and have told her, and anyhow, I must get back for dinner." "Any one may eat a dinner, but for you and me there may never be another moment like this!"