"O Stephen, darling,--precious, brave, strong darling! do forgive me.

I ought to be killed for even saying one word to give you pain.

How I can, I don't see, when I long so to make you happy always." "You do give me great, unutterable happiness, Mercy," he replied.

"I never think of the pain: I only think of the joy," and he laid her hand on his lips.

"All the pain that you could possibly give me in a lifetime could not outweigh the joy of one such moment as this, when you say that you love me." These days were unspeakably hard for Stephen.