Then very suddenly her struggles ceased.

He became aware of a change in her.

She gave her whole weight into his arms, and lay palpitating against his heart.
By the awful glare of the lightning he found her face uplifted to his.
She was laughing, too, but in her eyes was such a passion of love as he had never looked upon before.

In that moment he knew that she was his--wholly, completely, irrevocably his.

And, stooping, he kissed the upturned lips with the fierce exultation of the conqueror.
Her arms slipped round his neck.