"I shall be ready to travel to-morrow," he answered.
She turned away and he was close to her shoulder, but behind.
"I'm strong enough for anything—after last night," he added. "I suppose we must put our house in order now."
She went to the fireplace and returned, pouring the boiling water on the tea. They sat down together.
"No one goes to Wampli from here," she said at last.
"It's the orders I received—three days into the west—"
"But the desert tribes—"
"I have certain credentials and money to pay their tariffs—"
"Life is terrible," she said strangely. "Sometimes I am afraid of the intensity of life. I saw your face last night—white it seemed in the dusk—and suddenly I found myself running after you and all I had thought before looked wrong. I think we were dying because we were apart in this thing.... Isn't it strange? We have spoken none of the little things, that lead up to these deeper revelations between man and woman.... Running to you, I felt something great and new in your holding for my sake. I could hardly breathe until I told you that the sick and hated convention was a lie. I think now a lie is always wrong. Yesterday I thought it a good and worthy thing if it were powerful enough to help you on to your journey."
He leaned forward listening. She had so many things to say, the order was slow in coming to them.