very words gave him strength to remain steadfast; and though he felt
himself appealed to for comfort and compassion, he could only stretch out
imploring hands, as though praying for help, and say:

"Ah Katharina, and you are as lovely, as charming now, as you were then;
but--much as you attracted me, the great love that fills a life can come
but once... Forget what happened afterwards... Put your question in
another form, alter it a little, and ask me again--or let me assure you."

But he had no time to say more; for, before he could atop her, she had
slipped past him and flown away like some swift wild thing into the road
and down to the fishing cove.




CHAPTER IV.

Orion stood alone gazing sadly after her. Was this his father's curse--
that all who loved him must reap pain and grief in return?

He shivered; still, his youthful energy and powers of resistance were
strong enough to give him speedy mastery over these torturing
reflections. What opportunities lay before him of proving his prowess!
Even while Katharina was telling her story, the brave and strenuous youth
had set himself the problem of rescuing the cloistered sisters. The
greater the danger its solution might involve him in, the more impossible
it seemed at first sight, the more gladly, in his present mood, would he
undertake it. He stepped out into the road and closed the door behind
him with a feeling of combative energy.