It is the only thing left me,--she was so keen about it.' His voice sank into a whisper, and a long silence fell upon them.

Women in moments of sorrow have the outlet of tears and caresses; men's great refuge is silence; but the silence may be charged with sympathy and the comfort of a shared grief.

It was so in this case.
The afternoon light was fading, and Kendal was about to rise and make some necessary preparations for his journey, when Paul detained him, looking up at him with sunken eyes which seemed to carry in them all the history of the two nights just past.

'Will you ever ask her what Marie wished ?' The tone was the even and passionless tone of one who for the moment feels none of the ordinary embarrassments of intercourse; Kendal met it with the same directness.
'Some day I shall ask her, or at least I shall let her know; but it will be no use.' Paul shook his head, but whether in protest or agreement Kendal could hardly tell.

Then he went back to his task of sorting the letters, and let the matter drop.