"Never!" she sobbed. "Never! Your love--your love--has been--the safety-curtain--always--between me and--harm." And then very suddenly she lifted her face, her streaming eyes, and met his look. "But there's one thing, darling," she said, "which you must know. I loved you always--always--even before that monsoon night. But I came to you then because--because--I knew that I had been recognized, and--I was afraid--I was terrified--till--till I was safe in your arms." "Ah! But you came to me," he said. A sudden gleam of mirth shot through her woe. "My! That was a night, Billikins!" she said. And then the clouds came back upon her, overwhelming her. "Oh, what is there to laugh at? How could I laugh?" He lifted the glass he held and drank from it, then offered it to her. "Drink with me!" he said. She took, not the glass, but his wrist, and drank with her eyes upon his face. When she had finished she drew his arms about her, and lay against his shoulder with closed eyes for a space, saying no word. At last, with a little murmuring sigh, she spoke. "What is going to happen, Billikins?" "God knows," he said. But there was no note of dismay in his voice. His hold was strong and steadfast. She stirred a little. "Do you believe in God?" she asked him, for the second time. He had not answered her before; he answered her now without hesitation. "Yes, I do." She lifted her head to look at him. "I wonder why?" she said. He was silent for a moment; then, "Just because I can hold you in my arms," he said, "and feel that nothing else matters--or can matter again." "You really feel that?" she said, quickly. "You really love me, dear?" "That is love," he said, simply. "Oh, darling!" Her breath came fast. "Then, if they try to take me from you--you will really do it--you won't be afraid?" "Do what?" he questioned, sombrely. "Kill me, Billikins," she answered, swiftly. "Kill me--sooner than let me go." He bent his head. "Yes," he said. "My love is strong enough for that." "But what would you do--afterwards?" she breathed, her lips raised to his. A momentary surprise showed in his eyes. "Afterwards?" he questioned. "After I was gone, darling?" she said, anxiously. A very strange smile came over Merryon's face. He pressed her to him, his eyes gazing deep into hers. He kissed her, but not passionately, rather with reverence. "Your afterwards will be mine, dear, wherever it is," he said. "If it comes to that--if there is any going--in that way--we go together." The anxiety went out of her face in a second. She smiled back at him with utter confidence. "Oh, Billikins!" she said. "Oh, Billikins, that will be great!"