She came and put herself in his arms. "You know, dear heart," she
said, "it won't be easy for me to go. But I'm sure it's for the
best!"

And Thyrsis saw that she was right, and so they settled it. She
spent that day with him--their last day; and floods of tenderness
welled up in their hearts, and the tears ran down their cheeks. It
was only now that she was going that Thyrsis realized how precious
she had become to him, and what a miracle of gentleness and trust
she was.

They agreed that here, and not in the village, was the place for
their parting. So they poured out their love and devotion, and made
their pledges for the future; and towards sundown he kissed her
good-bye, and put her in the boat, and stood watching until it was a
mere speck down the lake. Then he went back to the house, with a
great cavern of loneliness in his soul.

And in spite of all resolves, he was up with the dawn next day, and
walking to the village--he must see her once again! He went to the
depot with her, and upon the platform they said another farewell;
thereby putting a seal upon Corydon's damnation in the eyes of the
maids and matrons of the summer population.

BOOK III

THE VICTIM HESITATES

_They had opened a wooden box which lay beside them.