He knew that it was her wraith, because she was so white--so unnaturally white. She wore white, too. Her eyes were dilated, with a dread which she could not conceal. It is possible that he might have heard the beating of her heart, had his own not pulsed so loudly. He rose slowly to his feet--slowly, to match her entrance. He neither moved nor spoke, as she shut the door carefully behind her. As she did so the thought stirred in his mind that he had never heard of a ghost who closed a door. But his mind was a long way off. The part of him now active was something utterly different. Then she moved forward towards him as he stood in the circle of light. She came on bravely until she was within a few paces of him, and then paused, and gave a little sound between a laugh and a gasp. "Well," said she, and valiantly held out her hand, "I have come back, you see!" He was so startled at her voice that he gave a low cry. Moving suddenly--always with him a mark of strong agitation--he first grasped her hand in both his own, then retaining it with one, passed the other hesitatingly up her arm, till it rested upon her warm shoulder. "My God," he said, "you are real! Speak, Virginia--are you real?" She set her teeth in the effort not to flinch, but she shook so that her trembling was perceptible to him. "Real? Yes, of course. Did you think I was a ghost?" she asked, shrinking a little backward, so that his hand fell from her shoulder. "I did! How could you come here? You were ill! Ferris said----" "But I am better, and I told you in my letter that I should come the first minute that I was able." "What letter?" She shuddered a little. Then it was true! Her letter had been kept back! "I telegraphed to-day," she stammered, more and more nervous. "You were out, but the motor met me at the station. When I arrived I told them not to tell you I was here. I--I thought I would tell you myself. Oh, are you angry with me?" "Angry?" he said with breaking voice. He turned his head aside, for he could not control the working of his face. "Why are you so surprised to see me?" she ventured, after a pause. "You knew I should come back." "How could I know it?" he asked, almost inaudibly. "I was on my honour," she answered, equally low. Then, gathering force as he still stood with averted face, "I gave you my word to submit to anything, if you let me go to Pansy. She doesn't need me any more, so I am here." She waited a moment, but still he did not speak. "I am well and strong now," she persisted bravely. "I can do anything that you wish. What are you going to do with me?" "There's only one thing I can do with you," came the answer. "I can't let you go." She stood immovably, her eyes fixed upon him. The dread lest he was not perfectly sane once more assailed her. Her mother had spoken of him as a monomaniac. Perhaps she feared him more at that moment than ever previously.