Vision House Part 44

"Or somebody else."

"I shall never marry, Marise. That's as certain as that I'm alive. I haven't any love to give another woman after you. You had it every bit.

But that's not an interesting subject to you, is it? Can you make up your mind to-night and answer my question? Shall it be England for you and America for me, or--_vice versa_?"

"You _liked_ the army, didn't you? You didn't want to give it up."

"I wasn't going to be driven out by Severance and Co. I shouldn't mind so much going of my own accord."

"Wouldn't you like to stay in the Guards for some years anyhow, and reap the reward of what you've done?--coming over here to Vision House now and then on leave, till you're ready to rest and settle down for good?"

"Sounds pretty ideal, as you put it. But I'll be content enough either way. It's for you to decide for me, as things stand. But oh, by the by, I forgot! I'm really rather a rich man, Marise. I've made my fortune three times over, and I've got umpteen thousands more than I need for myself or Mothereen. I want you to have alimony----"

"Oh no!" she exclaimed. "I'm rich too--quite rich, enough."

"But I _wish_ you to take something of mine, don't you understand? And money's the only thing I have that you could possibly care to have."

Marise began to cry again, twice as hard as before.

"There is--something else of yours I'd care to have," she choked, "if--if it isn't too late."

"It's never too late."

"But you don't know what I mean."

"No. Not yet----"

"I mean--your _love_. You said--I'd killed it."

Garth took one step from the middle of the little sitting-room to the sofa, and sat down beside the girl. He crowded her as Severance had done that afternoon, but she didn't move an inch.

"I didn't say that!" He spoke the words in her hair--that silky hair which had seemed too divine to touch. "I asked you how much you thought it took to kill love. But nothing could kill mine for you. Nothing on earth or in h.e.l.l. And I _have_ been in h.e.l.l, Marise."

"Come to heaven with me, then," she whispered, and clasped his neck with both her young arms. Her cheek, wet with tears, was pressed against his.

"You--_mean_ it?" he stammered.

"Yes--yes. I _love_ you! Because--you're so _queer_, you made me, somehow. I know now I never really loved anyone but you. And I never will if--you _care_!"

"Care? I'm in heaven already." He framed her face in his hands and kissed her on the lips, a long, long kiss that made up for everything.

"In heaven?" she murmured. "So am I. But it will be better at Vision House. _Dear_ Vision House. Dear _home_!"

Garth sprang up, bringing her with him, his arm round her waist.

"Let's go now!" he said.

THE END