You would not have forgotten that, John--or have grown tired ?" "No, no--never!" His arms were about her.

He was drawing her closer.
"And we would have had beautiful times together, John--writing, and going adventuring, and--and----" He felt her trembling, throbbing, and her arms tightened about him.
And now, again up through the smother of her hair, came the _tick-tick-tick_ of his watch.
He felt her fumbling at his watch pocket, and in a moment she was holding the timepiece between them, so that the light of the lantern fell on the face of it.
"It is three minutes of four, John." The watch slipped from her fingers, and now she drew herself up so that her arms were about his neck, and their faces touched.
"Dear John, you love me ?" "So much that even now, in the face of death, I am happy," he whispered.
"Joanne, sweetheart, we are not going to be separated.

We are going--together.

Through all eternity it must be like this--you and I, together.

Little girl, wind your hair about me--tight!" "There--and there--and there, John! I have tied you to me, and you are buried in it! Kiss me, John----" And then the wild and terrible fear of a great loneliness swept through him.