Chapter 19

Tears gathered in Mariula’s eyes and rolled one by one down her pale cheeks. She struggled hard to master them, essaying to smile and to match Fin’s jesting tone. “It’s like an elopement, isn’t it, Fin? . . . Only there’s nobody after us!” The big tears continued to gather and to fall in silence. Fin’s breast was wrenched by the sight. “Cry! Cry!” he besought her. “Don’t try to hold it back. Cry out loud!” “If only I could be sure that you wanted me,” she whispered. Such a rush of emotion overmastered the young man…