e whole I did," she said. "I think that unequal marriages are
rarely happy."

"That was all?" he asked. Then when she was again silent, he made
the demand which was so important to him. "Did she say aught of her
health in discussing all this with thee?"

"She did, Mr. Fay."

"And thou?"

"It was a subject, my friend, on which I could not speak to her. All
that was said came from her. Her mind was so fully made up, as I have
said before, no advice from me could avail anything. With some people
it is easy to see that whether you agree with them or differ from
them it is impossible to turn them."

"But to me thou canst say whether thou hast agreed with her. Yes; I
know well that the subject is one difficult to talk of in a father's
hearing. But there are things which should be talked of, though the
heart should break." After another pause he continued; "Is there,
thinkest thou, sufficient cause in the girl's health to bid her sever
herself from these delights of life and customary habits which the
Lord has intended for His creatures?" At every separate question he
paused, but when she was silent he went on with other questions. "Is
there that in her looks, is there that in her present condition of
life, which make it needful for thee, her friend, or for me, her
father, to treat her as though she were already condemned by the hand
of the Lord to an early grave?" Then, again, looking almost fiercely
into her face, he went on with his examination, "That is what thou
art doing."

"Not I;--not I."

"Yes, thou, my friend; thou, with all thy woman's softness in thy
heart! It is what I shall do, unless I bring myself to tell her that
her fears are vain. To me she has said that that is her reason. It is
not that she cannot love the man. Has she not said as much to thee?"

"Yes; truly."

"And art thou not assenting to it unless thou tell'st her that her
fancies are not only vain, but wrong? Though thou hast not spoken the
word, has not thy silence assented as fully as words could do? Answer
me at any rate to that."

"It is so," she said.

"Is it then necessary to condemn her? Art thou justified in thine own
thoughts in bidding her regard herself as one doomed?" Again there
was a pause. What was she to say? "Thou art aware that in our poor
household she does all that the strictest economy would demand from
an active mother of a family? She is never idle. If she suffers I
do not see it. She takes her food, if not with