“I should have been a miserable coward to stay up there while you are so bravely facing disaster alone down here.  I came to help you, as I should.”

“But you can do nothing, dear, and you only make matters worse by coming to me.  I have fought so hard to overcome the desire to be near you; I have struggled against myself for days and days, and I had won the battle when you came to pull my walls of strength down about my ears.  Look!  On my desk is a letter I was writing to you.  No; you shall not read it!  No one shall ever know what it contains.”  She darted to the desk, snatched up the sheets of paper and held them over the waxed taper.  He stood in the middle of the room, a feeling of intense desolation settling down upon him.  How could he lose this woman?

“To-morrow night Quinnox is to take you from the monastery and conduct you to a distant city.  It has all been planned.  Your friend, Mr. Anguish, is to meet you in three days and you are to hurry to America by way of Athens.  This was a letter to you.  In it I said many things and was trying to write farewell when you came to this room.  Do you wonder that I was overcome with doubt and amazement—­yes, and horror?  Ach, what peril you are in here!  Every minute may bring discovery and that would mean death to you.  You are innocent, but nothing could save you.  The proof is too strong.  Mizrox has found a man who swears he saw you enter Lorenz’s room.”

“What a damnable lie!” cried Lorry, lightly.  “I was not near his room!”

“But you can see what means they will adopt to convict you.  You are doomed if caught, by my men or theirs.  I cannot save you again.  You know now that I love you.  I would not give away half of the land that my forefathers ruled were it not true.  Bolaroz would be glad to grant ten years of grace could he but have you in his clutches.  And, to see me, you would run the risk of undoing all that I have planned, accomplished and suffered for.  Could you not have been content with that last good-by at the monastery?  It is cruel to both of us—­to me especially—­that we must have the parting again.”  She had gone to the divan and now dropped limply among the cushions, resting her head on her hand.

“I was determined to see you,” he said.  “They shall not kill me nor are you to sacrifice your father’s domain.  Worse than all, I feared that you might yield to Gabriel.”

“Ach!  You insult me when you say that!  I yielded to Lorenz because I thought it my duty and because I dared not admit to myself that I loved you.  But Gabriel!  Ach!” she cried. scornfully.  “Grenfall Lorry, I shall marry no man.  You I love, but you I cannot marry.  It is folly to dream of it, even as a possibility.  When you go from Graustark tomorrow night you take my heart, my life, my soul with you.  I shall never see you again—­God help me to say this—­I shall never allow you to see me again.  I tell you I could not bear it.  The weakest and the strongest of God’s creations is woman.”  She started suddenly, half rising.  “Did any one see you come to my room?  Was Quinnox sure?”