The sky was beginning to show a tint of early dawn when they stepped once more upon the silent porch. The wind had gone down. Clouds were piled up in the west, but the east was clear. Perfect stillness was over everything. Not a living creature was in sight, excepting that far up, across the stream, Sepp and Zimbach were climbing toward the Schinder.
“I must go in now. I must you—child!” said Yvonne in her old voice, smoothing her hair with both hands. Rex held her back.
“My wife?” he said.
“Yes!” She raised her face and kissed him on the lips, then clung to him weeping.
“Hush! hush! It is I who should do that,” he murmured, pressing her cheek against his breast.
Once more she turned to leave him, but he detained her.
“Yvonne, come with me and be married today!”
“You know it is impossible. Today! what a boy you are! As if we could!”
“Well then, in a few days—in a week, as soon as possible.”