"No; it's late. Good-night, dear!"

He was standing on the doorstep, clasping her
hand in both of his.

"For God and the people----"

Slowly and gravely she completed the unfinished
motto:

"Now and forever."

Then she pulled away her hand and ran into
the house. When the door had closed behind her
he stooped and picked up the spray of cypress
which had fallen from her breast.



CHAPTER IV.

ARTHUR went back to his lodgings feeling as
though he had wings. He was absolutely, cloudlessly
happy. At the meeting there had been
hints of preparations for armed insurrection; and
now Gemma was a comrade, and he loved her.
They could work together, possibly even die together,
for the Republic that was to be. The
blossoming time of their hope was come, and the