"First, is there another man in the world that you would rather have here? Answer, dear." The blood mounted to her cheek at the term of endearment. "Not one," she answered firmly, trying to smile. "Have you never thought--be honest, now--that you don't want to leave the island because it would mean our separation?" "Yes, but--but it would be the same with anybody else if I cared for him," she exclaimed quickly. "But there is no one else, is there?" She looked at him helplessly. "Answer!" "Oh, Hugh, I--it would not be right for me to encourage you by answering that. Please let us go back to the village," she pleaded. "Well, I know there is no one else. Tell me that you don't want to leave me because we should drift apart in the big world," he persisted. "I had thought of that," she said so low that he could barely hear. "You have prayed that Grace may be alive. What would it mean to you if she should be alive and we should be reunited?" "I--I don't know," she muttered blankly. "Would you be willing and happy to give me up to her?" "I never thought of that," she said. Then a terror leaped to her eyes and her breast heaved as with pain. "Oh, Hugh, what would that mean to me? I could not give you up--I could not!" she cried, clasping his hand feverishly in both of hers. "Would you be glad to see us married, to see us living together, to see children come to us? Would you be happy if I forgot you in my love for her?" he went on remorselessly, yet delightedly. "You couldn't forget me," she whispered, faint and trembling now. "You don't mean to say I never could be near you again!" There was dismay in her face and a sob in her voice. "Oh, occasionally, but in a very formal way." "I believe I should die," she cried, unable to restrain herself. "You admit then that you want me for yourself only," he said. "Yes, yes I do, Hugh! I want you every minute of my life!" "Now you are beginning to know what love is," he breathed in her ear. His eager arm stole slowly around her shoulders and, as she felt herself being drawn close to him irresistibly, a sweet wonder overwhelmed her. The awakening had come. With singing heart she lifted her hands to his cheeks, bewitched by the new spell, holding his face off from her own while she looked long and yearningly into his eyes. A soft flush crept over her brow and down her neck, her eyes wavered and melted into mirrors of love, her lips parted, but she could not speak. The clasp tightened, his face came nearer, his words sounded like music in her enchanted ears. "Have I proved that you love me, darling?" "I never knew till now--I never knew till now," she whispered. Their lips met, their eyes closed, and the world was far, far away from the little stretch of sand. CHAPTER XXX _WHERE THERE IS NO MINISTER_