The Man Who Rose Again

Crossing the bridge which spanned the river, she made her way up the footpath, until she reached the garden gate. A minute later she was on the lawn outside his window. For a moment her heart seemed to stop beating. What if he should drive her away, as she had driven him? Could she go to him, and offer him a love that might be repulsed? Standing there on the lawn, she could see him plainly. Evidently he was preparing to leave. In the middle of the room was a large box, in which he was placing his belongings. Like one fascinated she watched. Now and then he would stop in his work and stand still seemingly staring into vacancy, and then, as if spurred on by some secret thought, would eagerly continue his work.

The room in which she saw him was the Manor House parlour, a low ceiled apartment, with large casement windows opening out on the lawn. The light from the window fell upon the spot where she was standing, but he did not see her. She, however, could see his face plainly. She wondered how she had failed to recognise him, even although he had been disguised by his thick beard, for as she watched him she saw the Leicester she had known years before. But his face seemed terribly hard and stern, and she did not understand the look in his eyes. How dare she go to him, and tell him what was in her heart? Would he not scorn her, as she had scorned him? Thus minute after minute she waited, afraid to do what she had set out to do. So hard and unforgiving did his expression seem to her that she was almost on the point of turning away, when she saw him sit down like a man overcome, and pillow his face in his hands. Then she hesitated no longer. Approaching the window, she knocked gently, and instantly he lifted his head with a look of eager inquiry.

With trembling hands she opened the window and entered.

"Olive – Miss Castlemaine!" he said, like one dazed.

She went straight to him.

"Radford," she said, "I have come to ask you something, to tell you something."

He did not speak, but looked at her with eager, inquiring eyes.

"I have come to ask you to forgive me," she said, "and to tell you that – that it was you I loved – all the time. There never was any stranger, Radford. I loved him because my heart knew it was you."

For a moment he could not understand, but when her meaning came to him his eyes burned with a new light, his heart sang for joy, he knew what heaven meant.

"Forgive me, Radford, will you?" she went on. "I do not deserve it from you, I know. I put my pride before my love, and I drove you away from me. But, Radford, forgive me, will you? All my foolish pride is gone now. I love you, Radford – and – will you take me back to your heart?"

Then Radford Leicester knew that God had forgiven him, and from that day life would in very deed have a new meaning.

"Will you – Radford?" she said, pleadingly.

For answer he put out his arms, and a moment later he held her to his heart.

What they said to each other, or the explanations that were made, it is not for me to place on record, but I know a little later, when Radford Leicester and his promised wife went back to her home, the sky of their lives was as cloudless as the great dome of blue above them, for each knew that God had willed their happiness.

THE END