The words rose to his lips and failed of utterance, as the first mist of early morning is drawn heavenwards to vanish in the rising sun.

The long-drawn breath could have made no sound of sweeter meaning than the unspoken speech that rose in the deep gray eyes.

Nature's grand organ, touched by hands divine, can yield no chord more moving than a lover's sigh.
Words came at last, as after the welcome shower in summer's heat the song of birds rings through the woods, and out across the fields, upon the clear, earth-scented air--words fresh from their long rest within his heart, unused in years of loneliness but unforgotten and familiar still--untarnished jewels from the inmost depths; rich treasures from the storehouse of a deathless faith; diamonds of truth, rubies of passion, pearls of devotion studding the golden links of the chain of love.
"At last--at last--at last! Life of my life, the day is come that is not day without you, and now it will always be day for us two--day without end and sun for ever! And yet, I have seen you always in my night, just as I see you now.

As I hold your dear hands, I have held them--day by day and year by year--and I have smoothed that black hair of yours that I love, and kissed those dark eyes of yours many and many a thousand times.

It has been so long, love, so very long! But I knew it would come some day.