Startled, Langford lowered his eyes.
When he looked up the circle of radiance was gone.
"Forgive me, Langford!" a faint, diminishing voice said. "But partings should not be prolonged! Goodbye, my friend!"
When Langford emerged on the riverbank, sunlight struck down over his tall, straight body, giving him the aspect of a Greek god emerging from a forest glade in the morning of the world.
He paused for an instant on the sloping bank to wave to his wife. Then he plunged into the river and swam straight toward her.