He could say no more.
"Oh, Clement," she said, "if you were killed--killed uselessly!--now that I have found you, I could not bear it.

Dear, I could not bear it!" Cleggett was profoundly moved.

He yearned to take her in his arms to comfort her, and to promise anything she wished.

And the thought came to him too that, if he should perish, the one kiss, given and received in the darkness and danger of fight and storm, would be all the brave sweetness of her that he would know this side of the grave; the thought came to him bitterly.

For an instant he wavered.
"Agatha!" he said with dry lips.