Page 76 (1/2)

"Have I been that to you, Mary? Has it come to that with me?" he asked

wistfully

"Heaven helpher face in

her hands

A great gladness leaped up into his face, and died as the blaze of a

fire leaps up and expires

"That h as it

is I don't kno I can make you understand, dear"

"I understand ain,

and letting her hands fall into her lap "I a to speak quite

plainly You love me, Ben--ah, don't I know it!" she cried, with a

sudden burst of passion "I have seen it in your eyes these many days

I have heard it in your voice I have felt it welling out froreat heart It has been sweet to me--so sweet! You can not know, no

man ever could kno that love of yours has filledelse in the whole orld!"

"You love ly

"If I had not known that, do you think I would have endured a moment's