Still holding one of her hands, he drew her down the stairs; but as they reached the last step she released her fingers.

“In the carriage!” she said, with another little laugh of nervous happiness.

At the foot of the stairs they were surrounded.  Men whose faces Loder barely knew crowded about him.  The intoxication of excitement was still in the air—­the instinct that a new force had made itself felt, a new epoch been entered upon, stirred prophetically in every mind.

Passing through the enthusiastic concourse of men, they came unexpectedly upon Fraide and Lady Sarah surrounded by a group of friends.  The old statesman came forward instantly, and, taking Loder’s arm, walked with him to Chilcote’s waiting brougham.  He said little as they slowly made their way to the carriage, but the pressure of his fingers was tense and an unwonted color showed in his face.  When Eve and Loder had taken their seats he stepped to the edge of the curb.  They were alone for the moment, and, leaning close to the carriage, he put his hand through the open window.  In silence he took Eve’s fingers and held them in a long, affectionate pressure; then he released them and took Loder’s hand.

“Good-night, Chilcote,” he said.  “You have proved yourself worthy of her.  Good-night.”  He turned quickly and rejoined his waiting friends.  In another second the horses had wheeled round, and Eve and Loder were carried swiftly forward into the darkness.

In the great moments of man’s life woman comes before—­and after.  Some shadow of this truth was in, Eve’s mind as she lay back in her seat with closed eyes, and parted lips.  It seemed that life came to her now for the first time—­came in the glad, proud, satisfying tide of things accomplished.  This was her hour:  and the recognition of it brought the blood to her face in a sudden, happy rush.  There had been no need to precipitate its coming; it had been ordained from the first.  Whether she desired it or no, whether she strove to draw it nearer or strove to ward it off, its coming had been inevitable.  She opened her eyes suddenly and looked out into the darkness—­the darkness throbbing with multitudes of lives, all awaiting, all desiring fulfilment.  She was no longer lonely, no longer aloof; she was kin with all this pitiful, admirable, sinning, loving humanity.  Again tears of pride and happiness filled her eyes.  Then suddenly the thing she had waited for came to pass.

Loder leaned close to her.  She was conscious of his nearer presence, of his strong, masterful personality.  With a thrill that caught her breath, she felt his arm. about her shoulder and heard the sound of his voice.

“Eve,” he said,—­“I love you.  Do you understand I love you.”  And drawing her close to him he bent and kissed her.