“You have known all the while that I loved you,” repeated Francis Murray ardently. “Then why have you been so cold to me? Was it because you could give me no hope? Am I too old at thirty-three to win the heart of a girl like you, barely eighteen? Oh, Italy, speak to me, child! Must I leave you?” The little hand held him back, the low voice sobbed: “Professor Doepkin was so cold to me it made me distrust your love. I thought you meant to ignore the past, and it almost broke my heart.” “I was cruel, dear, but I thought Emmett had won you, after all, and that I was forgotten--even if you had ever cared for me. I hoped you would know me, through all disguises, and I almost despaired because you did not. But Emmett told me lately you had rejected him again, and he was learning to care for Isabel. So I took heart of hope once more. Oh, my darling, will you love me? Will you take my heart and my life?” And the moaning waves echoed tenderly: “My heart and my life?” Oh, the face that she raised to his, so beautiful, so loving, so happy! It was like an angel’s to his devouring eyes. “My love, my bride!” he murmured rapturously, and caught her in his arms, pressing fervent kisses on the face that was so lovely and so happy. And the sun, just sinking to rest below the restless sea, sent one long lance of quivering golden light across the waves, touching with a heavenly benison the dark and golden heads so close together. THE END. No. 1336 of the NEW EAGLE SERIES, entitled, “Madcap Merribel,” by Julia Edwards, is a delightful love story with a rarely charming heroine. Transcriber’s Notes: Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Table of contents has been added and placed into the public domain by the transcriber. This novel was first serialized in the _New York Family Story Paper_ from April 8, 1893 to July 15, 1893. This electronic text is derived from a 1931 paper-covered reprint, no. 1335 in the _New Eagle Series_. The 1931 edition includes advertisements before and after the text of the novel, but this extra material has been omitted here.