“Do you think you’ve a monopoly on all the love in the world?” interrupted Lenore, coming to her real self.  His impassioned declaration was all she needed.  Her ordeal was over.

It seemed as if he could not believe his ears or eyes.

“Monopoly!  World!” he echoed.  “Of course I don’t.  But—­”

“Kurt, I love you just as much as—­as you love me....  So there!”

Lenore had time for one look at his face before he enveloped her.  What a relief to hide her own!  It was pressed to his breast very closely.  Her eyes shut, and she felt hot tears under the lids.  All before her darkened sight seemed confusion, whirling chaos.  It seemed that she could not breathe and, strangely, did not need to.  How unutterably happy she felt!  That was an age-long moment—­wonderful for her own relief and gladness—­full of changing emotions.  Presently Kurt appeared to be coming to some semblance of rationality.  He released her from that crushing embrace, but still kept an arm around her while he held her off and looked at her.

“Lenore, will you kiss me?” he whispered.

She could have cried out in sheer delight at the wonder of that whisper in her ear.  It had been she who had changed the world for Kurt Dorn.

“Yes—­presently,” she replied, with a tremulous little laugh.  “Wait till—­I get my breath—­”

“I was beside myself—­am so yet,” he replied, low voiced as if in awe.  “I’ve been lifted to heaven....  It cannot be true.  I believe, yet I’ll not be sure till you kiss me....  You—­Lenore Anderson, this girl of my dreams!  Do you love me—­is it true?”

“Yes, Kurt, indeed I do—­very dearly,” she replied, and turned to look up into his face.  It was transfigured.  Lenore’s heart swelled as a deep and profound emotion waved over her.

“Please kiss me—­then.”

She lifted her face, flushing scarlet.  Their lips met.  Then with her head upon his shoulder and her hands closely held she answered the thousand and one questions of a bewildered and exalted lover who could not realize the truth.  Lenore laughed at him and eloquently furnished proof of her own obsession, and told him how and why and when it all came about.

Not for hours did Kurt come back to actualities.  “I forgot about the vigilantes,” he exclaimed, suddenly.  “It’s too late now....  How the time has flown!...  Oh, Lenore, thought of other things breaks in, alas!”

He kissed her hand and got up.  Another change was coming over him.  Lenore had long expected the moment when realization would claim his attention.  She was prepared.

“Yes, you forgot your appointment with dad and the vigilantes.  You’ve missed some excitement and violence.”

His face had grown white again—­grave now and troubled.  “May I speak to your father?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“If I come back from the war—­well—­not crippled—­will you promise to marry me?”