Kenneth did not speak. She continued, "I feared you would never know me again." She seemed to hesitate a moment, but went on. "I feared I could never tell you what I now _know_, what I want to tell you." "What do you know?" he asked. "What do you wish to tell me?" "That I love you," she answered, and stooping down, she put her cheek against his. "Look out, Kenneth!" she said, warningly, with a happy little laugh. "You mustn't forget about the wound in your shoulder." But he held her captive. "What do I care for the wound in my shoulder, when the wound in my heart is healed?" he asked of her. "I came to heal the wound I made in your heart," she said, while a pink wave swept over her face. Still he held her, drawing her closer to him. "The lips," he said, "on the lips, as a penance." "My penance is easy," she said with a happy ring in her voice. Then drawing a chair close to the side of his bed, she let him gather her hands in his. "Strange!" he said. "During my illness I dreamed it would be this way. I must have dreamed a long time. You were always with me, I thought. You were always in white, and often brought me flowers. Once, I found myself in heaven. You met me, and smiled and said, 'Come.' You brought me the most heavenly being I ever beheld, and placing my hand in his, said significantly, 'He loved much!' Then you vanished. And the heavenly being smiled upon me. And my heart grew glad. I began to understand the mysteries of life. Then I thought how you had led me to the very fountain of love, that I might know how to love you purely. I began to feel I could renounce all my hopes of your love, because there was something in that other presence that taught me that great Love asks no return. It just loves on, and on. Then I thought this heavenly being called me brother. And thousands of voices began to sing, 'Glory to God in the highest!'" "Beautiful!" she said. "Then I seemed to float in space, and I knew that you were near me. Your arms were full of flowers, and you offered up silent prayers for me that bridged the gulf between us." She kissed him again, saying softly: "Beloved, I did bridge the gulf with prayers. How stupid I was not to know sooner!" "Not to know what?" "Not to know love when it came." "But you know it now, Beloved?" he said, drawing the hands he clasped nearer to himself. "I thank God for that." He closed his eyes, and lay very still, still clasping her hands. She watched by him. At last, his hands relaxed their hold, and she knew by his regular breathing that he was asleep. John Clayton came to the door, saw how it was, and went away. So did the others who came to inquire. And Kenneth slept on, a restful, restoring sleep. And as Esther watched, she repeated to herself: "The Greatest of These is Love." CHAPTER XXIII AT SUNSET It was Dr. Mishell speaking.