Faint, she swayed for a second against the balustrade, then turned and
ran downstairs, ears strained for the sickening crash from below.

There was no crash, no thud. As she reached the drawing-room landing, to
her amazement a normally-lighted elevator slid slowly down, came to a
stop, and the automatic grilles opened quietly.

As Killian Van K. Vanderdynk crept forth from the elevator, Sacharissa's
nerves gave way; his, also, seemed to disintegrate; and they stood for
some moments mutually supporting each other, during which interval
unaccustomed tears fell from the gray eyes, and unaccustomed words,
breathed brokenly, reassured her; and, altogether unaccustomed to such
things, they presently found themselves seated in a distant corner of the
drawing-room, still endeavoring to reassure each other with interclasped
hands.

They said nothing so persistently that the wordless minutes throbbed into
hours; through the windows the red west sent a glowing tentacle into the
room, searching the gloom for them.

It fell, warm, across her upturned throat, in the half light.

For her head lay back on his shoulder; his head was bent down, lips
pressed to the white hands crushed fragrantly between his own.

A star came out and looked at them with astonishment; in a little while
the sky was thronged with little stars, all looking through the window at
them.

Her maid knocked, backed out hastily and fled, distracted. Then Ferdinand