A shaft of golden sunlight streamed down the garden, and seemed to
focus on the postern gate.
Then the gate swung open and the Boy came in, slamming it behind him.
She saw him coming up the lawn toward her, bareheaded; the sunlight in
his shining eyes.
"I couldn't wait for trains," he shouted. "I came by motor. And I
jolly well exceeded the speed-limit all the way!"
She moved a few steps to meet him.
"Boy dear," she said, "you always exceed all speed-limits. It is a way
you have. Exceed them as much as you like, so long as I am with you
when you do it. But--oh, my Little Boy Blue!--don't fly again; for, if
you fall and break your wings, indeed you will break my heart."
In a moment she was sobbing on his breast, her arms flung around him.
There was nothing broken or limp about his strong young body, pulsating
with life.
He put his arms about her, holding her in a clasp of close possessive
tenderness.
He did not yet understand what had happened; but he knew the great gift
he desired had been given him. He waited for her to speak.
She lifted her face to his.
"Guy," she said; "ah, take me, hold me, keep me! I am altogether your
own. I will explain to you fully, by and by. The stone was very
great; but lo, as we reached it, the Angel of the Lord had rolled it
away.... No other man has a shadow of claim over me. I am free to
say, to the only man I have ever really loved: Take me; I am yours.
Oh, Boy! I am altogether yours."
He bent over her.
The sweet proud lips were parted in utter surrender, and lifted to his.
He paused--just for one exquisite moment, of realization.
She waited his kiss with closed eyes, so she did not see the radiance
of his face, as he looked up to the blue sky, flecked with fleeting
white clouds. But she heard the voice, which from that hour was to
make the music of her life:
"Thank the Lord," said Little Boy Blue.
Then--he kissed her.
* * * * *
"_And the evening and the morning were the seventh day._"
_List of_
MRS. BARCLAY'S NOVELS
By FLORENCE L. BARCLAY
THE ROSARY
Over One Million Copies Sold
_Translated into French, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, Finnish,
Dutch, and Spanish._
"The sentiment is never mawkish; it rings true, and throughout the
whole story there is a vein of elevating emotion which should attract
lovers of wholesome fiction."--_Times_.
THE MISTRESS OF SHENSTONE
"A youthful sentiment, fresh and romantic, flows through Mrs. Barclay's
new book, and gives to the story some of the delicate odour of lavender
and jessamine, and old-fashioned flowers."--_Daily Graphic_.
THE FOLLOWING OF THE STAR
"A worthy successor to 'The Rosary.' It has the same charm and grip,
whilst the plot is again unusual and clever...."--_Evening Standard_.
THROUGH THE POSTERN GATE
"It is a book to turn over in a sunny garden, under shady trees, when
one might look up from the clear print and see a happy prince coming in
through the green gate to lead one's own self to
fairyland."--_Manchester Guardian_.
THE BROKEN HALO
"It is the record of the saving of a soul by charity. The end
represents the triumph of mortal kindness."--_Standard_.
THE WALL OF PARTITION
"A brisk, readable story with a strong plot, full of incident and sure
of a wide appreciation."--_Globe_.
THE UPAS TREE
"The book is full of that mixture of humour, feeling, and religion that
gain for Mrs. Barclay so wide a popularity."--_Church Family Newspaper_.
RETURNED EMPTY
"This is certainly the most arresting tale that the authoress has
produced since her first huge success."--_Daily Mail_.
SHORTER WORKS
Seven of Mrs. Barclay's Shorter Stories now collected for the first
time into one volume, and including one which has never before been
printed in book form.
THE WHITE LADIES OF WORCESTER
3s. 6d. net.
Mrs. Barclay's Last Long Novel.
"It has tenderness, it has a story which never flags, above all it has
humanity."--_Observer_.
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, Ltd.,
24 Bedford St., Strand, London, W.C. 2, & New York
_SOME PRESS OPINIONS ON THE LATE_
FLORENCE L. BARCLAY
"A writer who appealed to and won the affection of so many of her
fellow countrymen and women is no negligible quantity. Indeed there is
reason to think that Mrs. Barclay understood the tendency of her age
better than many contemporary novelists whose technical skill exceeded
hers."--_Times_.
"Mrs. Barclay's death will be regretted by many thousands of
readers."--_Morning Post_.
"'The Rosary' and nearly all her other books were inspired by true
religious feeling, which she always managed to infuse into the
imagination of her readers."--_Sphere_.
"From the highest to the lowest she commanded an attentive
public."--_Liverpool Daily Courier_.
"There was a purpose behind all she wrote that lifted her books above
the common, and enabled her to reach readers who would turn away from
the 'typical best-seller' in disgust."--_Sunday Times_.
"Mrs. Barclay was not merely a popular authoress. The ideals she
preached were high and noble and tended to elevate her
readers."--_Church Family Newspaper_.
"The underlying quality of Mrs. Barclay's literary art was her
wonderful gift of depicting home life, and it was this characteristic
which made her name loved in countless homes all over the
land."--_Lady_.
"She gave wholesale enjoyment to countless thousands, while she was
also one of the comparatively few popular authoresses who are in
themselves as good as the very best of their books."--_Glasgow Herald_.
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, Ltd.,
24 Bedford St., Strand, London, W.C. 2, & New York
_BY FLORENCE L. BARCLAY_
THE ROSARY
THE MISTRESS OF SHENSTONE
THE FOLLOWING OF THE STAR
THROUGH THE POSTERN GATE
THE UPAS TREE
THE BROKEN HALO
THE WALL OF PARTITION
THE WHITE LADIES OF WORCESTER
RETURNED EMPTY
SHORTER WORKS
_BY ONE OF HER DAUGHTERS_
THE LIFE OF FLORENCE BARCLAY
End of Project Gutenberg's Through the Postern Gate, by Florence L. Barclay