“I mean it,” she hurried on earnestly. “We must leave to-night, I don’t know what they may do to you. Something terrible--maybe--I can’t think of it! Something may happen to separate us. I want to feel your hand clasping mine like this forever!” He answered by crushing the little hand in his. “You won’t go back and let them arrest you, will you, John?” she pleaded, a sob catching her voice. He was silent and a smile played about his mouth. “Answer me, John dear! You must do as I say because life is too sweet and beautiful to lose it! You will leave if I go with you--won’t you? My whim you said should be your law. This is my whim, my heart’s desire. Get the horses now, and we’ll make them fly as far from Independence to-night as their heels can carry us! You’ll do this because I ask it--won’t you, darling?” The little head began to droop, the voice broke, and she lay sobbing in his arms. He held her close for a moment. “You know this is impossible, dear!”--he said tenderly. “Yes, I know!” she sobbed. “My business is to save others now.” “At least, you’ll go by the house and stay with me a little while?” “They’ll think I’m hiding.” “Who cares what they think? I can’t go home alone, can I?” “Of course, I’ll stop a moment. And now we must hurry.” He brought the horses and they galloped back to town in silence. Along a dark rough place of the road, they slowed down to a walk, and his hand sought hers. “What a strange ending to the most wonderful day of my life!” she suddenly cried with passionate tenderness. “Why strange?” he asked. “I never had a doubt that you would love me. It was written in the Book of Life.” “But I didn’t know it until to-night.” “Tell me, dear,” he pleaded; “what sudden flash revealed the truth?” “Don’t ask me!” she said with a shiver. “I’ll tell you some day.” “Why not now? This has been a wonderful day for me. I shall never live its like again. I heard for the first time the one woman I love, the only woman I ever loved, the one woman I shall love forever, speak the sweetest words that ever fell from human lips.” “I love you--I love you!” she softly repeated. “But tell me how you came to know it to-day?” he urged. “It’s a secret--one I fear that will give me many an hour of anguish. I’ll tell you, dear--but not now. “I’ll share it with you when you’ll let me.” “Not this one, John. I need to bear it alone to keep me humble, and sweeten with suffering and fear the bitter, selfish impulses that fight within me. Oh, I want to be good and tender and beautiful and true now!” “How full of strange moods you’ve been tonight!” he exclaimed. “Have I dear?” She caught his hand and pressed it tenderly. The lights of the town flashed in view from the hill. They galloped boldly down the main street and into the lawn. As they passed the cabin at the gate, Isaac’s face appeared a moment at the door. “I didn’t know old Isaac had returned?” John remarked.