White Fire

tle hotel overlooking the Embankment, where he was staying in company with Mr. and Mrs. MacTavish. He

em all, and they were later than usual that morning, and, at that

ines of Miss Arnot's note, and he read them several times

MR.

ith you. Will you do me the favou

s sin

N AR

ively, and handed the note to the old peop

oy," said Mr. MacTavish. "She has more than ord

night he did not feel quite himself again yet. He had a morbid dread of hero-worship, and though the outw

t," said Mrs. MacTavish. "I wish you could have seen her face whi

and the thought of it made it none the

hree o'clock. I have to see Mr. Campbell at eleven in Moorgate Street. If he has any a

little of it as possible; and three o'clock found him at Miss A

tter warily just outside the heat radius of a can

e much in her company and not have longings for still closer acquaintance and companionship-and such things were not for him. His way lay among the shadows of the outer night, and it must of necessity be, outwardly at all events, a somewhat lonely way. Companions he would doubtless have, and

, in spite of himself, he was to meet her face to face

of course; but, after all, twenty-five was not so very young for an

nt spirit. Had she not, even at thirteen, told him

efore the drama became exciting. And he had wondered then if she had changed her

she possibly wa

's proceedings she had felt an impulse to do something

Miss Arnot's assistance. Funds were never too

little holy of holies as the most devoted worshipper of the sacred flame might desire. The Island Mission houses were-not exactly geographically perhaps, but in every other attribute and particular-the absolute antipodes and antithesis of this charming little sanctum. The walls were lined with bookcases full of richly bound books, the table was strewn with b

ever at any time been able to keep pace with his appetite. For knowledge of books is good,

he garden whence the lilac had com

mself tightly, but her welcoming hand drew forth his ow

sively, "and I thank you. I know your time i

to you for, at all events, affording me another opportunity of thanki

mmanding little ways! There was even more than usua

g back on the

at she was excited. Probably the remembrance of

then--I hardly think it likely

ed, in her old, qui

t to be here at all. By rights I ought to be ly

d the result of your long illness.

ne. Perhaps, after all, I shall be able

it dreadfully lonely out there, wi

. And the loneliness only nails one the

ht possibly help it quite as much by

ean!

here, and I hope to give my life to it, and to give it

o could do the work just

pe. I hope

e always short of funds, and the work is hindered, or

iews as to that,

what they are? I am

g. If we had all the money we wanted, we might lose our heads, and go ahead too fast-scamp the work perhaps, and prove but jerry-builders in the end. One cannot forget that it has taken Christianity eighte

nk I ever looked at it in that light befor

-only too gratefu

g would kee

gine-except absolute in

clasped to prevent them jumping visibly before him, and eyes that sh

ed up h

f you begged

rew the cheek-bones into bolder prominence. She noted it-she could almost hear the grinding of his teeth; and the g

her for a moment, and

erstand. Perhaps my illness h

if you would not stay in England and marry me, and use my

heart in his eyes-all of it that was not

ddenly before her and took her hand and kissed it, an

l of me-if I go-at on

eld it tight, and stood holding hi

take me with

eness of his sudden grip, and she could have sung aloud, for the grip c

rel

he had been half inside the gates of death, and-well, the

not unnaturally-that this was but one more result of the excitement of the meeting last night. Sh

eady as stars, and a

ever ceased to think about you. Your going away left a blank in my life. After last night I lo

d been waiting long for just that seal to the compact. And then he sat down suddenly an

d how white his hand was compared with the great, strong bro

came back from where he had been-and his face was full

?" he asked in a ligh

iling back at him. "You

eel like to have every single desire of your

d. It sounds as if it mi

real and true, or only a vain imagining

en,-dearly-ever

u are going

ask me p

me and come out with

wil

steadfastly, a

od! it i

felicity for close on five minu

dear, all that you are g

o a woman the time comes when the heart's love of one man is more to her than all the rest of the w

nd saw the tiny wounds. "Oh, forgive me! I

e more than all you have forgotten to

like that, Jean? For me! I

do with it. It is so very go

said emp

little for me, and are not just taking me because I thr

ll. You have been shrined in my heart since that

nd you hardly

I looked into them, and the

s! But you didn't know

utiful eyes i

settled into quiet

and all she was giving up, and conscienti

was sweet to hear him, for all his thought

en he had exhausted all his

th the rest. Where you go I go. Your work shall be my work, an

ike to burst for very fulness