you then. You must take me. My life has always been yours."

He laid one of his hands on either of her cheeks so that her face
was framed for him to read. It was flushed; the deep eyes were
beautiful.

"You--all these empty years! _You_, Bella." It was as though he saw
her now for the first time. The revelation dazzled him. "I've gone
thirsty, with wine at my elbow, until it's too late." He shook his
shoulders. "Come with me, then, if you must."

She stepped into the boat and sat in the stern, her hands folded in
her lap, her eyes in their great and sudden beauty still fixed on
his face. The wind blew her hair wildly in a long, streaming veil
across her forehead, down her cheek, out over her shoulder. She was
beautiful with the joy that was hers at last.

Hugh stepped in and stood to push the boat out from the shore. His
eyes never left hers. It was a deep, long look of which her soul
drank, quenching its thirst. Very slowly the boat moved; then it
turned. A hand seemed to grip it's prow. There was a mighty, confused
roaring in their ears; the bank seemed to be snatched back from them.
The sunlight, shone into Hugh's face. Suddenly he caught at his oar.

"The river is not so high," he shouted; "the flood's going down."
He looked away from her and back. "We have--just a chance. We'll leave
it to the river. It may be the end of you and me--or, Bella, it may
be the beginning."

He steadied the boat with all his skill. It was drawn with frightful