Their hands entwined, her clasp tightened upon his trembling fingers. His halting words died in his throat, he only watched her mutely, his face a queer mixture of misery and joy. Her wet eyes, twin load-stars lighting the path to Eden, smiled into his own. "Listen!" she said. "Where you go--I'll go--whatever comes--I'm with you--clear to the white stone and the cross--and beyond--for _I love you--I love you_!" He reeled where he stood. Ah, this love of woman, this grace of the gray world that makes for the glory of God! For wistful thought of her he sought still to put her from him, weakly tried while every fibre of his being called for her who was always to rule his warm heart, whatever the vagaries of his foolish head. "It's a long road--a road rainy with tears--you must travel with me." "I love you." There grew in her low tone an odd, wondering exaltation, as if through the domination of his vagabond personality, something heretofore sleeping in her soul woke and stretched its wings, longing for freedom, for the riot of mad winds and tumbling seas. "There's not a soul near to you that won't grieve for you--with me. Not because I want it so, but because it was meant to be, it'll be gray skies, it'll be often an aching heart; it'll be from pillar to post, now here, now yonder; sometimes it will be--in hell--with me." "I love you." Now her tone held in its full the divine finality of choice, for weal or woe. Gravely sweet, solemn with the sublimity of unselfish consecration, it told many things to the man who stood finally silenced and overwhelmed, clasping her in reverent arms close to his lonely heart. It told of gardens flowering in deserts, of splendid heights beyond that pierced the blue. It told him of the white grace of self sacrifice, of God-sent, sustaining hands. And finally it told of calm after storm, of the haven under the hill, of ultimate and abiding peace at the end of the long road, where dreams come true. Transcriber's Note: Punctuation has been standardised. Alternatives have been retained for débris/debris near-by/nearby. Spelling and punctuation has been retained as it appears in the original publication except as follows: Page 11 no bettter judged _changed to_ no better judged Page 32 stunt or it 'll _changed to_ stunt or it'll Page 63 heavy-lided eyes _changed to_ heavy-lidded eyes Page 79 you think Shaugnessy 'll get _changed to_ you think Shaughnessy'll get Page 99 CHAPTR X _changed to_ CHAPTER X Page 107 wearied of such an excresence _changed to_ wearied of such an excrescence Page 119 sh'an't whine or excuse _changed to_ sha'n't whine or excuse Page 131 Judge Boynton 'll win _changed to_ Judge Boynton'll win Page 139 Tain't good for you _changed to_ 'Tain't good for you