I wonder whether I should have cared, if I had never met him any more,--happy in this new consciousness. But in the afternoon he returned, bright and eager. "Are you so very busy, dear Yone," he said, without noticing Lu, "that you cannot drive with me to-day?" Busy! In five minutes I whirled down the avenue beside him. I had not been Yone to him before. How quiet we were! he driving on, bent forward, seeing out and away; I leaning back, my eyes closed, and, whenever a remembrance of that instant at noon thrilled me, a stinging blush staining my cheek. I, who had believed myself incapable of love, till that night on the balcony, felt its floods welling from my spirit,--who had believed myself so completely cold, was warm to my heart's core. Again that breath fanned me, those lips touched mine, lightly, quickly. "Yone, my Yone!" he said. "Is it true? No dream within dream? Do you love me?" Wistful, longing, tender eyes. "Do I love you? I would die for you!" * * * * * Ah, me! If the July days were such, how perfect were the August and September nights! their young moon's lingering twilight, their full broad bays of silver, their interlunar season! The winds were warm about us, the whole earth seemed the wealthier for our love. We almost lived upon the river, he and I alone,--floating seaward, swimming slowly up with late tides, reaching home drenched with dew, parting in passionate silence. Once he said to me,-- "Is it because it is so much larger, more strange and beautiful, than any other love could be, that I feel guilty, Yone,--feel as if I sinned in loving you so, my great white flower?" I ought to tell you how splendid papa was, never seemed to consider that Rose had only his art, said I had enough from Aunt Willoughby for both, we should live up there among the mountains, and set off at once to make arrangements. Lu has a wonderful tact, too,--seeing at once where her path lay. She is always so well oriented! How full of peace and bliss these two months have been! Last night Lu came in here. She brought back my amber gods, saying she had not intended to keep them, and yet loitering. "Yone," she said at last, "I want you to tell me if you love him." Now, as if that were any affair of hers! I looked what I thought. "Don't be angry," she pleaded. "You and I have been sisters, have we not? and always shall be. I love you very much, dear,--more than you may believe; I only want to know if you will make him happy." "That's according," said I, with a yawn. She still stood before me. Her eyes said, "I have a right,--I have a right to know." "You want me to say how much I love Vaughan Rose?" I asked, finally. "Well, listen, Lu,--so much, that, when he forgets me,--and he will, Lu, one day,--I shall die." "Prevent his forgetting you, Yone!" she returned. "Make your soul white and clear, like his." "No! no!" I answered. "He loves me as I am. I will never change."