counts--"

"Do you mean that?" he said eagerly. "Say it--do you mean that you
love me?"

"Love you?" She stood up, pressing both hands over her heart as if
there were real pain there. For a few paces she walked away from
him, and, as he followed her, she turned upon him the
extraordinary beauty of her face transfigured with strong emotion.

"Greg," she said quietly, "I didn't know there was such love! I've
heard it called fire and pain and restlessness, but this thing is
ME! It is burning in me like flame, it is consuming me. To be with
you"--she caught his wrist with one hand, and with her free hand
pointed out across the smiling ocean--"to be with you and KNOW you
were mine, I could walk straight out into that water, and end it
all, and be glad--glad--glad of the chance! I loved you yesterday,
but what is this to-day, when you have kissed me, and held me in
your arms!" Her voice broke on something like a sob, but her eyes
were smiling. "All my life I've been asleep," said Rachael. "I'm
awake now--I'm awake now! I begin to realize how helpless one is--
to realize what I should have done if you hadn't come--"

"My darling," Gregory said, his arms about her "what else--feeling
as we feel--could I have done?"

Held in his embrace, she rested her hands upon his shoulders, and
looked wistfully into his eyes.

"It is as WE feel, isn't it?" she said. "I mean, it isn't only me?