ly treasure so
long as we both shall live."

"But your friends, your relatives?"

"I think my mother would not object, if she knew all. But I am of age, so
have an undoubted right to act for myself even in so vitally important a
matter."

"Then if my darling loves you, let me see you united before I die."

At this moment the door of the adjoining room opened and Zoe's voice was
heard in imploring, tearful accents: "Mayn't I come back now? O papa, I
cannot stay away from you any longer!"

Edward hastened to her, and taking both her hands in his, "Dear Miss Zoe,"
he said, "I love you, I feel for you, I want to make you my very own, if
you can love me in return, that I may have the right to take care of you.
Will you be my dear little wife? will you marry me now, to-night, that
your father may be present and feel that he will not leave you alone and
unprotected?"

She looked up at him in utter surprise, then seeing the love and pity in
his face, burst into a passion of grief.

"Leave me! papa going to leave me!" she cried. "Oh, no, no! I cannot bear
it! He must, he will be better soon! O Mr. Travilla, say that he will!"

"No, my darling!" replied a quivering voice from the bed, "I shall not
live to see the morning light, and if you love Mr. Travilla tell him so
and let me see you married before I die."

"Can you, do you love me, dear little Zoe?" Edward asked in tenderest
tones, passing his arm about her waist.

"Yes," she said half under her breath, with a quick glance up into his
face, then hid her own on his breast, sobbing, "Oh, take care of me! for
I'll be all alone in the wide world when dear papa is gone."

"I will," he said, pressing her closer, softly pushing back the fair hair
from the white temple and touching his lips to it again and again. "God
helping me, I will be to you a tender, true, and loving husband."

"Come here, Zoe, darling," her father said, "our time grows short;" and
Edward led her to the bedside.

"O papa, papa!" she sobbed, falling on her knees and laying her wet cheek
to his.

Edward, with heart and eyes full to overflowing, moved softly away to the
farther side of the room, that in this last sad interview the constraint
of even his presence might not be felt.

Low sobs and murmured words of tenderness and fatherly counsel reached his
ear, and his heart went up in silent prayer for both the dying one and her
just about to be so sorely bereaved.

Presently footsteps approach