Barbara began to tremble and her voice was very low as she bent toward him.
"Why do you trust me with the greatest question of your life with such perfect faith?"
He took her hand, bowed, and kissed it.
"Because, Barbara, I love you," he whispered with passionate tenderness.
The girl looked away and smiled while her heart beat in an ecstasy of triumph.
"And this is one of the things that has puzzled me most," he went on, rapidly. "Every hope and dream my soul has cherished of you has been at war with this scheme of herding men and women together. I want you all my very own. I want to seize you now in my arms and carry you a thousand miles away from every vulgar crowd on earth. A hundred times I've been on the point of telling you that I love you, but I drew back and sealed my lips. It was treason to the Cause. For how can this cause of the herd be one with the heart-cry of the man for the one woman on earth his mate? I've tried to reconcile them, but I can't. Come, dearest, you are my nobler, better self, the part of me I've been searching for and have found. You must answer this cry for light and guidance. Your voice shall be to me the voice of God. Shall I go back to the faith of my fathers in the old world, and will you come with me—my wife, my mate, my life? Or shall we remain here, and hand in hand fight this battle to a finish? The one thing that is unthinkable is that I shall lose you. I lay my life at your feet. Do with it as you will."
Barbara tried to speak and a sob choked her into silence. She lifted her head at last and spoke timidly.
"I thought it would be easy. But I find it very, very difficult—this settling the destiny of a man. Of one thing I'm sure. You must not give up this work."
"I'll sign the deeds of transfer to-morrow," he interrupted.
The girl's eyes opened in wonder and a feeling of awe stole into her heart.