She left the door open, though, and as soon as I had calmed down a little I listened intently for every sound outside.
It was then that I heard the whirr of the electric bell again, but more softly this time, and followed by breathless whispered words in the corridor (as of some one who had been running) and once more . . . I knew, I knew, I knew!
After a moment Mildred came to ask me in a whisper if I was quite sure that I could control myself, and though my heart was thumping against my breast, I answered Yes.
Then I called for a hand-glass and made my hair a shade neater, and after that I closed my eyes (God knows why) and waited.
There was a moment of silence, dead silence, and then—then I opened my eyes and saw him standing in the open doorway.
His big, strong, bronzed face—stronger than ever now, and marked with a certain change from the struggles he had gone through—was utterly broken up. For some moments he did not speak, but I could see that he saw the change that life had made in me also. Then in a low voice, so low that it was like the breath of his soul, he said:
"Forgive me! Forgive me!"
And stepping forward he dropped to his knees by the side of my bed, and kissed the arms and hands I was stretching out to him.
That was more than I could bear, and the next thing I heard was my darling's great voice crying:
"Sister! Sister! Some brandy! Quick! She has fainted."