Mr. Harman's hand had now ceased to tremble. It lay warm and quiet in
his daughter's clasp. After a time he said--

"Put your arms round me darling."

She rose to her feet, clasped her hands round his neck, and laid her
head on his shoulder. In this position he kissed first her bright hair,
then her cheek and brow.

"But I want my little girl to leave me," he said. "Illness need not make
me selfish. You can still be my one only dear daughter, and yet be
Hinton's wife."

"I am your only dear daughter," she repeated. "Never mind about my being
any man's wife." She tried to smile as she resumed her seat at his feet.

Mr. Harman saw the attempt at a smile, and it instantly strengthened him
to proceed.

"Charlotte, I am not sorry that you know that which I had not courage
either to tell you or to cause another to tell you. I am--yes, I am
dying. Some day before long I must leave you, my darling. I must go away
and return no more. But before I die I want to see you Hinton's wife. It
will make me happier to see this, for you love him, and he can make you
happy. You do love him, Charlotte?"

"Yes, I love him," she answered.

"Then we will not postpone the marriage. My child shall marry the man
she loves, and have the strength of his love in the dark days that must
follow; and in one week you will be back with me, no less my child
because you are Hinton's wife."

"Father, I cannot."

"Not if I wish it, dear--if I have set my heart on it?"

"I cannot," she repeated.

She felt driven to her wits' end, and pressed her hands to her face.

"Charlotte, what is the meaning of this? There is more here than meets
the eye. Have you and Hinton quarrelled?"

"No, except over this. And even over this it takes two to make a
quarrel. I cannot marry next week; I have told him so. He is vexed, and
you--you are vexed. Must I break my heart and leave you? You have always
given me my own way; give it now. Don't send me away from you. It would
break my heart to marry and leave you now."

"Is this indeed so, Charlotte?" he said. "Would you with your whole
heart rather put it off?"

"With my whole, whole heart, I would rather," she said.

"I will not urge it. I cannot; and yet it destroys a hope which I
thought might cheer me on my dying bed."

"Never mind the hope, father; you will have me. I shall not spend that
week away from you."

"No, that week did seem long to look forward to."

"Ah! you are glad after all that I am t