‘Yes, I swear it by the God Who made us both!’
The woman dropped down into her chair again, and burst into a flood of hysterical tears.
‘Oh! I felt it! I knew it!’ she exclaimed. ‘I have been so happy in the possession of your love. I was sure that Heaven could not be so cruel as to take it away from me.’
The young man crossed over to her, and laid his hand upon her bent head.
‘No! no!’ he said soothingly. ‘No one shall take it away. You are not like yourself to-night, Liz. Where is all your courage gone to? You, who can stand by quietly and see an operation performed, or a patient die, who are the coolest and most collected woman I have ever met with. Why! I don’t know you in this new character.’
‘I have no courage where you are concerned,’ she answered passionately, as she looked up and met the glance of his dark eyes. ‘You are my life, Henri, and everything that is best in me, would die without you.’
He winced a little as she spoke, but he professed to laugh at her vehemence.
‘It will not be my fault if you are ever put to the test, Liz. How often have I told you that my life belongs to you, since, without your skill and care, I should have lost it. Come, kiss me, and forget what has passed between us. It is all the fault of that meddling fellow Norris. I wish he had been farther before he made mischief between us.’
‘No one has the power to make mischief between us,’ said Liz, smiling through her tears. ‘I am quite happy again now, and am only sorry my foolish jealousy should have betrayed me into making such a scene. And, to prove it, let us talk of Quita, Henri. I was wanting to see you, just to ask after her.’
‘Can’t we find some pleasanter topic of conversation, Liz? Besides, you know more of Miss Courtney than I could tell you.’