no one shall separate us--not even this
Jonathan--" She involuntarily shuddered. At mention of that name the
old man started and fixed his eyes on her.

"Jonathan?" he asked slowly. "Why do you blame him?"

"Father, I feared to speak of it," she stammered, shocked that she had
so clearly betrayed herself. "He is your friend, and you become so
agitated when he is mentioned. But you must listen now. Before your
return he asked me, from Sister Agatha, for his wife; and after I
refused him--for oh, father, I cannot help it, I have an aversion to
him--he pursued me with a wild love that frightened me. He embraced
and kissed me against my will, and then begged I would be silent about
it. I promised; but that was before I knew I had a father living. Now
I have told it, and I am glad you know all about the matter."

Her eyes rested trustingly on him, but she could not catch a responsive
glance; he kept his head turned away, and looked out into the distance
with a countenance full of distress and anguish.

"Dear father, are you angry with me?" she asked humbly.

"Not angry, no; but it is a misfortune--a great misfortune," he
whispered.

At this moment there was a knock at the door; it opened, and Brother
Jonathan entered. Father and daughter stared at him without stirring;
no one uttered a word; no one moved. Mauer remained leaning back in
his chair; Carmen did not rise from her kneeling posture, and only
pressed her head closer to her father's bosom.

Jonathan silently regarded the pair. Never had Carmen looked more
beautiful than in this clinging posture--in this outpouring of love and
confidence. To see her thus reclining on her father's breast was
nothing to give rise to jealous feelings, but it increased his longing
to have her leaning thus on him.

"You are troubled; I know it, and have come to help you," he said at
last, in his gentlest tones. "I am sorry, very sorry, that Sister
Carmen has allowed herself to be so far carried away by her feelings as
to lose all sense of duty and humility, and to speak such wild words
before the people. We must see if things cannot be arranged
pleasantly. I will consider what can be done, if Carmen will permit me
to act at all for her in the matter."

"Dear Brother, spare me my child," pleaded Mauer, with faltering voice.
"She cannot accept the lot which has fallen on her; she must not go so
far from me just now, when I have found her again. I cannot live
with