[Sidenote:  The True Lover]

Her blood sang within her and it seemed that her heart had wings.  All of life lay before her—­that life which is made sweet by love.  She felt again the ecstasy that claimed her in the Tower of Cologne, when she and the Boy, after a lifetime of waiting, had rung all the golden bells at once.

And the Boy was Roger—­always had been Roger—­only she did not know.  Into Barbara’s heart came something new and sweet that she had never known before—­the deep sense of conviction and the everlasting peace which the True Lover, and he alone, has power to bestow.

It was part of the wonder of the morning that when she turned, startled a little by a muffled footstep, she should see Roger with his hands outstretched in pleading and all his soul in his eyes.

Barbara’s face took on the unearthly beauty of dawn.  Her blue eyes deepened to violet, her sweet lips smiled.  She was radiant, from her feet to the heavy braids that hung over her shoulders and the shimmering halo of soft hair, that blew, like golden mist, about her face.

Roger caught her mood unerringly—­it was like him always to understand.  He was no longer afraid, and the trembling of his boyish mouth was lost in a smile.  She was more beautiful than the morning of which she seemed a veritable part—­and she was his.

[Sidenote:  Flower of the Dawn]

“Flower of the Dawn,” he cried, his voice ringing with love and triumph, “do you care?  Are you mine?”

She went to him, smiling, with the colour of the fiery dawning on her cheeks and lips.  “Yes,” she whispered.  “Didn’t you know?”

Then the sun and the morning and the world itself vanished all at once beyond his ken, for Barbara had put her soft little hand upon his shoulder, and lifted her love-lit face to his.

THE END.

* * * * *

Transcriber’s Notes: 

   Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

   Page 4, “instrusted” changed to “intrusted” (china intrusted)

   Page 272, “checks” changed to “cheeks” (fair cheeks)

   Page 275, “venegeance” changed to “vengeance” (not of His vengeance)

   Page 321, “anenomes” changed to “anemones” (and anemones)

   Page 326, “assunder” changed to “asunder” (hopelessly put asunder)