"We must say good-bye here," she returned with a desperate attempt to be calm.
"Never 'good-bye'!" Yet he had no hope. Honor's conscience had decided—the conscience he had once feared would sit in judgment on his sin against herself; and yet it had uttered no word of reproach.
For a full minute he held her away from himself, trying by the light of the moon to see the look in her eyes. He wanted to plead with her to fly with him to another land where none should know their history; but his words died in his throat as he gazed upon her white and stricken face. "Honey, be merciful to me in your thoughts!" he cried, instead, kissing her forehead, her eyes, and denying himself her lips.
"Just let me go right away. Give me courage—help me!"
"And what of me?"
"I leave you the gift of my heart. I can never take it back."
"Do you forgive me?"
"Love always forgives."
"God bless you! I think I must have been insane. I would have earned your hatred in time. How shall I face life without you?"
Honor gave him her lips sadly. "In our different ways—we shall face it. Just at first it will be very hard, but not impossible if we have courage to do what is right. To stay on here after this, is more than I can bear; so I must go away—just for a bit, to learn how to be brave. When I come back—if you are still here, we might both bear it better."