to-day, but it was not true on the following day, when
Cora and Rule, being alone in the parlor, fell into thoughtful silence,
neither knowing exactly why.

This was broken at last by Rule.

"Cora, will you look at me, dear?"

She raised her eyes and meet his fixed full and tenderly on hers.

"Cora, I think that you and I have understood each other a long time,
too long a time for the reserve we have practiced. My dear, will you now
share the poverty of a poor man who loves you with all his heart, or
will you wait for that man until he shall have made a home and position
more worthy of you? Speak, my love, or if you prefer, take some time to
think of this. My fate is in your hands."

These were calm words, uttered with much, very much, self-restraint; yet
eyes and voice could not be so perfectly controlled as language was, and
these spoke eloquently of the man's adoration of the woman.

She put her hand in his large, rough palm--the palm inherited from many
generations of hard workers--where it lay like a white kernel in a brown
shell, and she answered quietly, with controlled emotion:

"Rule, I would rather come to you now forever, and share your life,
however hard, and help your work, however difficult, than part from you
again; or, if this happiness is not for us now, I would wait for
years--I would wait for you forever."

"God bless you! God bless you, my dear! my dear! But is not this in your
own choice, Cora?"

"No; it is in my grandfather's."

"You are of age, dear."

"Yes. But not because I am of age would I disobey his will. He has
always done his duty by me faithfully. I must do mine by him. He is old
now. I must not oppose him. He may consent to our union at once, for you
are a very great favorite with him. But his will must be consulted."

"Of course, dear. I meant to speak to Mr. Rockharrt after speaking to
you."

"And to abide by his wishes, Rule?"

"If I must. But I would rather abide by yours only, since you are of
age," said the young man.

And what more was spoken need not be repeated here. The next day Rule
Rothsay called early, and asked to see Mr. Rockharrt.

"Ah! Ah! You come to tell me that you have seen Hunter, I suppose? How
does he stand affected toward my bill?" exclaimed the Iron King,
pointing to one chair for his guest and dropping into another himself.

"The truth is, Mr. Rockharrt, I came to see you on quite another
matter--"

The young man paused. The old man look