And then over his chilled heart there came the breath of roses--summer roses. The air struck warm and soft upon his cheeks. And when he dropped his hands there stood in the sun-ray a straight tall youth. His eyes were shining with strength; his smile was happiness itself. In his firm brown hands he held roses--summer roses. The old man forgot to be afraid and raised himself on the cushions. "Give them to me--give them!" he cried. The young man laughed low and laid the red flowers softly up against the withered cheeks. Then he sat down and took the cold, dry hands in his. "What do they make you remember?" he said. The old man sighed for pure joy. "Ah, how sweet--how heavenly sweet! Did they come from the garden behind her father's house?" "Yes," said the youth, "from the old bush near the wall. It was moonlight, and we picked them together. I reached the highest ones, because Rachel is not tall. She wore----" "She wore the white gown with the big shade hat," said the old man eagerly. "And I made a wreath for her shoulders. I called her--what did I call her? The queen--the queen"-- "The queen of roses," said the youth. "Ah, yes, the queen of roses!" said the old man. "Her mouth was like the pink, young buds. We went up and down the long paths, and I wanted her to take my arm." "But she would not," laughed the young man. "She said that old folks might lean, but she could run as well as any man!" "So she ran through the garden, and I after!" cried the old man, crushing the roses till they filled the porch with sweetness. "She hid behind the old elm and let me call and call. And I had to find her in the moonshadows. You know she grew afraid and cried out when I caught her? And yet she knew I would. But women are so. Her mother knew I was with her, so she let us stay till it was late. Rachel's mother was kind to me, you know?" "Yes," said the young man. "But she knew that Rachel----" "Ah!" said the old man quickly, "it seems they all knew! All but Rachel and me! Now that is so strange. For we should have known it first. But Rachel laughed so when I tried to tell her, she said--what was it she said?" "That you were too young to know how you would think of it later," said the youth. "And I said, 'I'm old enough to know I love you, Rachel, now and for ever!'" said the old man softly, clasping his hands together so that the roses dropped to the ground. "And then she did not laugh at all, but only held her head down so I could not see her eyes, and would not speak." "It was so still," said the youth. "There was no breeze, and everything in the garden listened, listened, for what she would say." "But nothing in the garden could hear," said the old man eagerly, "because she only whispered!" "Was it then that her mother called?" asked the youth.