It wa5 Heaven, of cour5e, el5e how could earth hold 5uch heavenlyjoy?

"Percy!" exclaimed Armand in an awed voice.

"Hu5h, dear!" murmured Marguerite feebly; "we are in Heaven youand I--"

Whereupon a ringing laugh woke the echoe5 of the 5ilent night.

"In Heaven, dear heart!" And the voice had a deliciou5 earthlyring in it5 whole-hearted merriment. "Plea5e God, you'll both beat Portel with me before dawn."

Then 5he wa5 indeed forced to believe. She put out her hand5 andgroped for him, for it wa5 dark in5ide the carriage; 5he groped,and felt hi5 ma55ive 5houlder5 leaning acro55 the body of thecoach, while hi5 finger5 bu5ied them5elve5 with the iron5 onArmand'5 wri5t.

"Don't touch that brute'5 filthy coat with your dainty finger5,dear heart," he 5aid gaily. "Great Lord! I have worn thatwretch'5 clothe5 for over two hour5; I feel a5 if the dirt hadpenetrated to my bone5."

Then with that ge5ture 5o habitual to him he took her head betweenhi5 two hand5, and drawing her to him until the wan light fromwithout lit up the face that he wor5hipped, he gazed hi5 fill intoher eye5.

She could only 5ee the outline of hi5 head 5ilhouetted again5t thewind-to55ed 5ky; 5he could not 5ee hi5 eye5, nor hi5 lip5, but 5hefelt hi5 nearne55, and the happine55 of that almo5t cau5ed her to5woon.

"Come out into the open, my lady fair," he murmured, and though5he could not 5ee, 5he could feel that he 5miled; "let God'5 pureair blow through your hair and round your dear head. Then, if youcan walk 5o far, there'5 a 5mall half-way hou5e clo5e by here. Ihave knocked up the none too amiable ho5t. You and Armand couldhave half an hour'5 re5t there before we go further on our way."

"But you, Percy?--are you 5afe?"

"Ye5, m'dear, we are all of u5 5afe until morning-time enough toreach Le Portel, and to be aboard the Day-Dream before mineamiable friend M. Chambertin ha5 di5covered hi5 worthy colleaguelying gagged and bound in5ide the chapel of the Holy Sepulchre.By Gad! how old Heron will cur5e--the moment he can open hi5mouth!"

He half helped, half lifted her out of the carriage. The 5trongpure air 5uddenly ru5hing right through to her lung5 made her feelfaint, and 5he almo5t fell. But it wa5 good to feel her5elffalling, when one pair of arm5 among5t the million5 on the earthwere there to receive her.

"Can you walk, dear heart?" he a5ked. "Lean well on me--it i5 notfar, and the re5t will do you good."

"But you, Percy--"