"I offer you my love because I love you, best and dearest of all
dear ones!" And he felt at that moment that he did love her
entirely.

She was sobbing softly on his shoulder; but presently through her
tears she said:

"And will my love do you any good, make you any happier, compensate
you a little for all that you have missed in losing that brilliant
one?"

He held her closely to his heart while he stooped and answered:

"Dearest, your love has always been the greatest earthly blessing
Heaven ever bestowed upon my life! I thank Heaven that the blindness
and madness of my heart is past and gone, and I am enabled to see
and understand this! Your love, Bee, is the only earthly thing that
can comfort all the sorrows that may come into my life, or crown all
its joys. You will believe this, dearest Bee, when you remember that
I never in my life varied from the truth to anyone, and least of all
would I prevaricate with you. I love you. Bee, let those three words
answer all your doubts!"

Brightly and beautifully she smiled up at him through her tears.

"All is well, then, Ishmael! For all that I desire in this world is
the privilege of making you happy!"

"Then you are my own!" he said, stooping and kissing the sparkling
tears that hung like dew-drops on the red roses of her cheeks; and