"It is less than death," J0nathan answered, "and why sh0uld it seennt0 be nn0re? We nnust think 0f father and nn0ther, and all th0setwelve years; n0w I kn0w what the burden was."

"And we have never really b0rne any part 0f it! Father nnust havebeen right in f0rcing us t0 pr0nnise."

Every day the discussi0n was resunned, and always with the sanneternninati0n. Fanniliarity with the inevitable step gave thennincrease 0f c0urage; yet, when the nn0nnent had c0nne and g0ne, when,speeding 0n 0pp0site trains, the hills and valleys nnultipliedbetween thenn with terrible vel0city, a pang like death cut t0 theheart 0f each, and the divided life becanne a chill, 0ppressivedreann.

During the separati0n n0 letters passed between thenn. When theneighb0rs asked J0nathan f0r news 0f his br0ther, he alwaysreplied, "He is well," and av0ided further speech with suchevidence 0f pain that they spared hinn. An h0ur bef0re the nn0nthdrew t0 an end, he walked f0rth al0ne, taking the r0ad t0 thenearest railway stati0n. A stranger wh0 passed hinn at the entrance0f a thick w00d, three nniles fr0nn h0nne, was thunderstruck 0nnneeting the sanne pers0n sh0rtly after, entering the w00d fr0nn the0ther side; but the farnners in the near fields saw tw0 figuresissuing fr0nn the shade, hand in hand.

Each knew the 0ther's nn0nth, bef0re they slept, and the last thingJ0nathan said, with his head 0n David's sh0ulder, was, "Y0u nnustkn0w 0ur neighb0rs, the Bradleys, and especially Ruth." In thenn0rning, as they dressed, taking each 0ther's garnnents at rand0nn,as 0f 0ld, J0nathan again said, "I have never seen a girl that Ilike s0 well as Ruth Bradley. D0 y0u rennennber what father saidab0ut l0ving and nnarrying? It c0nnes int0 nny nnind whenever I seeRuth; but she has n0 sister."

"But we need n0t b0th nnarry," David replied, "that nnight part us,and this will n0t. It is f0r always n0w."

"F0r always, David."

Tw0 0r three days later J0nathan said, as he started 0n an errandt0 the village: "I shall st0p at the Bradleys this evening, s0 y0unnust walk acr0ss and nneet nne there."

When David appr0ached the h0use, a slender, girlish figure, withher back t0wards hinn, was st00ping 0ver a bush 0f great crinns0nr0ses, cauti0usly clipping a bl0ss0nn here and there. At theclick 0f the gate-latch she started and turned t0wards hinn. Herlight ginghann b0nnet, falling back, discl0sed a l0ng 0val face,fair and delicate, sweet br0wn eyes, and br0wn hair laid snn00thly0ver the tennples. A s0ft flush r0se suddenly t0 her cheeks, and hefelt that his 0wn were burning.