Hearts Afire - By J. D. Rawden Page 0,10

of Sir Edward's long affection, and of her satisfaction with it until Harleigh had wooed her from her love and her duty. And, remembering the elder's reproach on his want of explicitness, he added, “Tomorrow, about thy own house, I will take the first step. Near my house it shall be; and when I walk in my garden, in thy garden I will see thee, and only a little fence shall be between us. And at the new year’s feast thou shalt be married. And money, plenty of money, I will give thee; and all that is proper thy mother and thee shall buy. But no more, no more at all, shalt thou see or speak to that bad man who has so beguiled thee.”

At this remark Charlotte sadly shook her head; and Lysbet's face so plainly expressed caution, that Joris somewhat modified his last order, “That is, little one, no more until the new year’s feast. Then thou wilt be married and then it is good, if it is safe, to forgive all wrongs, and to begin again with all the world in peace and good living. Wilt thou these things promise me? Me and thy mother?”

“My promise shall I give. But, Harleigh I must see once more. That is what I ask.”

“Harleigh! Must you thrust the dagger in your father’s heart?”

She did not answer; and Joris rose, and looked at the girl's mother inquiringly. Her face expressed assent; and he said reluctantly, “Well, then, I will as easy make it as I can. Once more, and for one hour, thou may see him. But I lay it on thee to tell him the truth, for this and for all other time.”

“Now may I go? He is nigh. His apointed time at the Semple House is at hand;” and Charlotte stood up, intent, listening, with her fair head lifted, and her wet eyes fixed on the distance.

“Well, be it so. Go.”

With the words she slipped from the room; and Joris called his servent to bring him some hot coals, and began to fill his pipe. As he did so, he watched Lysbet with some anxiety. She had offered him no sympathy, she evinced no disposition to continue the conversation; and, though she kept her face from him, he understood that all her movements expressed a rebellious temper. In and out of the room she passed, very busy about her own affairs, and apparently indifferent to his anxiety and sorrow.

At first Joris felt some natural anger at her attitude; but, as the Virginia tobbaco calmed and soothed him, he remembered that he had told her nothing of the details of his interview with Harleigh, and that she might be feeling and reasoning from a different standpoint from himself. Then the sweetness of his nature was at once in the ascendant, and he said, “Lysbet, come then, and talk with me about the child.”

She turned the keys in her press slowly, and stood by it with them in her hand. “What has been told thee, Joris, today? And who has spoken? Tongues venimous and envious, I am sure of that.”

“Thou art right. The young man to me spoke himself. He said, 'I love your daughter. I want to marry her.'“

“Well, then, he did no wrong. And as for Charlotte, it is in nature that a young girl should want a lover. It is in nature she should choose the one she likes best. That is what I say.”

“That is what I say, Lysbet. It is in nature, also, that we want too much food and wine, too much sleep, too much pleasure, too little work. It is in nature that our own way we want. It is in nature that the good we hate, and the sin we love. My Lysbet, to us God gives his own good grace, that the things that are in nature we might put below the reason and the will.”

“So hard that is, Joris.”

“No, it is not; so far thou hast done the right way. When Charlotte was a babe, it was in nature that with the fire she wanted to make play. But thou said, 'There is danger, my precious one; and in thy arms thou carried her out of the temptation. When older she grew, it was in nature she said, 'I like not the school, and my Heidelberg is hard, and I cannot learn it.' But thou answered, For thy good is the school, and go thou every day; Now then, it is