face.

"I offer you all that man or god can offer," he said, standing
before her. "I offer you the devotion of a whole life. Will you
take it?"

"I will not break my promise," said the girl, rising. Her eyes
were level with his. She found such power in them that she cried
out against it in sudden anger.

"Why do you tempt me so? Why do you come and trouble my mind and
take away my peace? Who are you? What are you?"

"lf you want a human name for me"--he answered.

She raised her hand swiftly to stop him. "No, don't!" she said.
"I do not want to know. Don't tell me anything, for the mystery
is part of the beauty of you."

A shaft of golden sunlight pierced the ilex shade and smote her
forehead as she stood there.

"Apollo, the sun god," she said, smiling, as she turned and left
him alone.


CHAPTER XIV

Overhead was a sky of soft, dusky blue, broken by the clear light
of the stars: all about were the familiar walks of the villa