On the following day that long-lost sister herself appeared in company with Mrs. Thornton. Her form, always fragile, now appeared frailer than ever, her face had a deeper pallor, her eyes an intenser lustre, her expression was more unearthly. The joy which the brothers felt at finding their sister was subdued by an involuntary awe which was inspired by her presence. She seemed to them as she had seemed to others like one who had arisen from the dead. At the sight of her Langhetti’s face grew radiant--all pain seemed to leave him. She bent over him, and their wan lips met in the only kiss which they had ever exchanged, with all that deep love which they had felt for one another. She sat by his bedside. She seemed to appropriate him to herself. The others acknowledged this quiet claim and gave way to it. As she kissed Langhetti’s lips he murmured faintly: “I knew you would come.” “Yes,” said Edith. “We will go together. “Yes, sweetest and dearest,” said Langhetti. “And therefore we meet now never to part again.” She looked at him fondly. “The time of our deliverance is near, oh my friend.” “Near,” repeated Langhetti, with a smile of ecstasy--“near. Yes, you have already by your presence brought me nearer to my immortality.” Mrs. Thornton was pale and wan; and the shock which she felt at the sight of her brother at first overcame her. Despard said nothing to her through the day, but as evening came on he went up to her and in a low voice said, “Let us take a walk.” Mrs. Thornton looked at him earnestly, and then put on her bonnet. It was quite dark as they left the house. They walked along the road. The sea was on their left. “This is the last that we shall see of one another, Little Playmate,” said Despard, after a long silence. “I have left Holby forever.” “Left Holby! Where are you going?” asked Mrs. Thornton, anxiously. “To join the army.” “The army!” “Little Playmate,” said Despard, “even my discovery of my father’s death has not changed me. Even my thirst for vengeance could not take the place of my love. Listen--I flung myself with all the ardor that I could command into the pursuit of my father’s murderers. I forced myself to an unnatural pitch of pitilessness and vindictiveness. I set out to pursue one of the worst of these men with the full determination to kill him. God saved me from blood-guiltiness. I found the man dead in the road. After this all my passion for vengeance died out, and I was brought face to face with the old love and the old despair. But each of us would die rather than do wrong, or go on in a wrong course. The only thing left for us is to separate forever.” “Yes, forever,” murmured Mrs. Thornton.