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'I only saw her once or twice；' she answered； 'but she has been
very good to me。'
'She can hardly need you。 She has friends。 And surely you are
needed here。'
She looked at me eagerly。
'Do you think so？' she said。
'Ask any man in the campShaw； Nixon； young Winton； Geordie。 Ask
Craig；' I replied。
'Yes； he will tell me；' she said。
Even as she spoke Craig came up the steps。 I passed into my studio
and went on with my work； for my days at Black Rock were getting
few； and many sketches remained to be filled in。
Through my open door I saw Mrs。 Mavor lay her letters before Mr。
Craig； saying； 'I have a call too。' They thought not of me。
He went through the papers； carefully laid them down without a word
while she waited anxiously； almost impatiently； for him to speak。
'Well？' she asked； using his own words to her； 'should I go？'
'I do not know；' he replied； 'that is for you to decideyou know
all the circumstances。'
'The letters tell all。' Her tone carried a feeling of
disappointment。 He did not appear to care。
'The estates are large？' he asked。
'Yes； large enoughtwelve thousand a year。'
'And has your mother…in…law any one with her？'
'She has friends； but； as she says； none near of kin。 Her nephew
looks after the worksiron works； you knowhe has shares in
them。'
'She is evidently very lonely；' he answered gravely。
'What shall I do？' she asked； and I knew she was waiting to hear
him urge her to stay； but he did not see； or at least gave no heed。
'I cannot say；' he repeated quietly。 'There are many things to
consider； the estates'
'The estates seem to trouble you；' she replied； almost fretfully。
He looked up in surprise。 I wondered at his slowness。
'Yes； the estates；' he went on； 'and tenants； I supposeyour
mother…in…law； your little Marjorie's future； your own future。'
'The estates are in capable hands； I should suppose；' she urged；
'and my future depends upon what I choose my work to be。'
'But one cannot shift one's responsibilities；' he replied gravely。
'These estates； these tenants； have come to you； and with them come
duties。'
'I do not want them；' she cried。
'That life has great possibilities of good；' he said kindly。
'I had thought that perhaps there was work for me here；' she
suggested timidly。
'Great work；' he hastened to say。 'You have done great work。 But
you will do that wherever you go。 The only question is where your
work lies。'
'You think I should go；' she said suddenly and a little bitterly。
'I cannot bid you stay；' he answered steadily。
'How can I go？' she cried； appealing to him。 'Must I go？'
How he could resist that appeal I could not understand。 His face
was cold and hard； and his voice was almost harsh as he replied
'If it is right； you will goyou must go。'
Then she burst forth
'I cannot go。 I shall stay here。 My work is here； my heart is
here。 How can I go？ You thought it worth your while to stay here
and work； why should not I？'
The momentary gleam in his eyes died out； and again he said coldly
'This work was clearly mine。 I am needed here。'
'Yes； yes！' she cried； her voice full of pain； 'you are needed； but
there is no need of me。'
'Stop； stop！' he said sharply； 'you must not say so。'
'I will say it； I must say it；' she cried； her voice vibrating with
the intensity of her feeling。 'I know you do not need me； you have
your work； your miners； your plans； you need no one； you are
strong。 But；' and her voice rose to a cry； 'I am not strong by
myself； you have made me strong。 I came here a foolish girl；
foolish and selfish and narrow。 God sent me grief。 Three years
ago my heart died。 Now I am living again。 I am a woman now； no
longer a girl。 You have done this for me。 Your life； your words；
yourselfyou have showed me a better； a higher life； than I had
ever known before； and now you send me away。'
She paused abruptly。
'Blind； stupid fool！' I said to myself。
He held himself resolutely in hand； answering carefully； but his
voice had lost its coldness and was sweet and kind。
'Have I done this for you？ Then surely God has been good to me。
And you have helped me more than any words could tell you。'
'Helped！' she repeated scornfully。
'Yes； helped；' he answered； wondering at her scorn。
'You can do without my help；' she went on。 'You make people help
you。 You will get many to help you； but I need help； too。' She
was standing before him with her hands tightly clasped； her face
was pale； and her eyes deeper than ever。 He sat looking up at her
in a kind of maze as she poured out her words hot and fast。
'I am not thinking of you。' His coldness had hurt her deeply。 'I
am selfish； I am thinking of myself。 How shall I do？ I have grown
to depend on you； to look to you。 It is nothing to you that I go；
but to me' She did not dare to finish。
By this time Craig was standing before her； his face deadly pale。
When she came to the end of her words； he said； in a voice low；
sweet； and thrilling with emotion
'Ah； if you only knew！ Do not make me forget myself。 You do not
guess what you are doing。'
'What am I doing？ What is there to know； but that you tell me
easily to go？ She was struggling with the tears she was too proud
to let him see。
He put his hands resolutely behind him； looking at her as if
studying her face for the first time。 Under his searching look she
dropped her eyes； and the warm colour came slowly up into her neck
and face； then； as if with a sudden resolve； she lifted her eyes to
his； and looked back at him unflinchingly。
He started； surprised； drew slowly near； put his hands upon her
shoulders； surprise giving place to wild joy。 She never moved her
eyes； they drew him towards her。 He took her face between his
hands； smiled into her eyes； kissed her lips。 She did not move； he
stood back from her； threw up his head； and laughed aloud。 She
came to him； put her head upon his breast； and lifting up her face
said； 'Kiss me。' He put his arms about her； bent down and kissed
her lips again； and then reverently her brow。 Then putting her
back from him； but still holding both her hands； he cried
'Not you shall not go。 I shall never let you go。'
She gave a little sigh of content； and； smiling up at him； said
'I can go now'； but even as she spoke the flush died from her face；
and she shuddered。
'Never！' he almost shouted； 'nothing shall take you away。 We shall
work here together。'
'Ah； if we could； if we only could；' she said piteously。
'Why not？' he demanded fiercely。
'You will send me away。 You will say it is right for me to go；'
she replied sadly。
'Do we not love each other？' was his impatient answer。
'Ah！ yes； love；' she said； 'but love is not all。'
'No！' cried Craig； 'but love is the best'
'Yes！' she said sadly； 'love is the best； and it is for love's sake
we will do the best。'
'There is no better work than here。 Surely this is best；' and he
pictured his plans before her。 She listened eagerly。
'Oh！ if it should be right；' she cried； 'I will do what you say。
You are good； you are wise； you shall tell me。'
She could not have recalled him better。 He stood silent some
moments； then burst out passionately
'Why then has love come to us？ We did not seek it。 Surely love is
of God。 Does God mock us？'
He threw himself into his chair； pouring out his words of
passionate protestation。 She listened； smiling； then came to him
and； touching his hair as a mother might her child's； said
'Oh； I am very happy！ I was afraid you would not care； and I could
not bear to go that way。'
'You shall not go；' he cried aloud； as if in pain。 'Nothing can
make that right。'
But she only said； 'You shall tell me to…morrow。 You cannot see
to…night； but you will see； and you will tell me。'
He stood up and； holding both her hands； looked long into her eyes；
then turned abruptly away and went out。
She stood where he left her for some moments； her face radiant； and
her hands pressed upon her heart。 Then she came toward my room。
She found me busy with my painting； but as I looked up and met her
eyes she flushed slightly； and said