“I am off, Lucy,” he said, taking her two hands in his, and gazing tenderly down

into her face; “I won’t ask you to come with me now, but will you be ready to

come when I am here again?”

 

“And when will that be?” she asked, blushing and laughing.

 

“A couple of months at the outside. I will come and claim you then, my darling.

There’s no one who can stand between us.”

 

“And how about father?” she asked.

 

“He has given his consent, provided we get these mines working all right. I have

no fear on that head.”

 

“Oh, well; of course, if you and father have arranged it all, there’s no more to

be said,” she whispered, with her cheek against his broad breast.

 

“Thank God!” he said, hoarsely, stooping and kissing her. “It is settled, then.

The longer I stay, the harder it will be to go. They are waiting for me at the

cañon. Good-bye, my own darling—good-bye. In two months you shall see me.”

 

He tore himself from her as he spoke, and, flinging himself upon his horse,

galloped furiously away, never even looking round, as though afraid that his

resolution might fail him if he took one glance at what he was leaving. She

stood at the gate, gazing after him until he vanished from her sight. Then she