involves no impropriety; it stands in the way of no other duty, since, I
trust, the relationship between us is as binding as any other which may
call for your regard. All that I ask is, that you will not dispose of
yourself to another, your heart not going with your hand, whatever may
be the authority which may require it; at least, not until you are fully
assured that it is beyond my power to claim you, or I become unworthy to
press the claim."

"It is strange, Mark, that you should speak in a manner of which there
is so little need. The pledge long since uttered as solemnly as you now
require, under these very boughs, should satisfy you."

"So it should, Kate--and so it would, perhaps, could I now reason on any
subject. But my doubts are not now of your love, but of your firmness in
resisting a control at variance with your duty to yourself. Your words
reassure me, however; and now, though with no glad heart, I shall pass
over the border, and hope for the better days which are to make us
happy."

"Not so fast, Master Forrester," exclaimed the voice of old Allen,
emerging from the cover of the sycamore, to the shelter of which he had
advanced unobserved, and had been the unsuspected auditor of the
dialogue from first to last. The couple, with an awkward consciousness,
started up at the speech, taken by surprise, and neither uttering a word
in reply to this sudden address.

"You must first answer, young man, to the charge of advising my daughter
to disobedience, as I have heard you for the last half hour; and to
elopement, which she had the good sense to refuse. I thought, Master
Forrester, that you were better bred than to be guilty of such
offences."

"I know them not as such, Mr. Allen. I had your own sanction to my
engagement with Katharine, and do not see that after that you had any
right to break it off."

"You do not--eh? Well, perhaps, you are right, and I have thought better
of the matter myself; and, between us, Kate has behaved so well, and
spoken so prettily to you, and obeyed my orders, as she should have
done, that I'm thinking to look more kindly on the whole affair."

"Are you, dear father?--Oh, I am so happy!"

"Hush, minx! the business is mine, and none of yours.--Hark you, Mark.
You must fly--there's no two ways about that; and, between us, there
will be a devil of a stir in this matter. I have it from good authority
that the governor will riddle the whole nation but he'll have every man,