“It is best,” she said, with despair.
“I dare not touch your hand—good-by!” he cried, staggering to his feet.
“Good-by, Frank, my hero, my love—my God!”
He took one step toward the door, but his feet carried him to her side.
He trembled, hesitated, and then slowly drew her to his heart. Her arms stole around his neck and her head drooped on his breast, the perfume of her hair was in his nostrils, and their lips met in burning kisses.
“God forgive us! It was more than mortal flesh could bear to go without one moment of love’s sweet life!” he cried. “And now we must part.”
He took her hands in his and gently kissed them, while she looked away seeing only his face, for it had long since filled the world.
He turned abruptly into the hall, and, moving to the door with swift step, he saw lying on the silver tray the card of the lawyer he had met an hour ago. In a moment it flashed over him that Kate was the unknown messenger. He had not dreamed her fortune of such magnitude.
He seized the card and rushed back into the room.
“Is that your lawyer’s name?” he gasped.