d that the tales which he had told you respecting Ned were
calumnies, is there any thing in Ned's past life to justify the suspicion
you have cherished against him? Answer candidly, and you will answer 'No.'
Rust's motive was clear enough; he feared Somers, and wished to drive from
you one who might be a friend in time of need, and who might one day stand
as a shield between you and his dark purposes. Come, Jacob, Rust has
confessed all; what he did, what his motives were; and now, tell me,
whether you cannot say, from the bottom of your heart, 'Ned Somers, I have
wronged you?''

He paused, and looked earnestly at Rhoneland, while every feature glowed
with the fervor of his feelings. 'Come, Jacob, what do you say?'

There was one other person too who leaned forward to catch the reply; but
Rhoneland answered:

'She's my only child, and she's very dear to me. It was a cruel suspicion,
and perhaps I _did_ act hastily. I will not say that I _did not_, for I
was greatly excited, and said many things that I have since forgotten. But
it was better that he should go. Wasn't it, Kate?'

He turned to his daughter, took her hand, and repeated his question.
'Wasn't it better that he should keep away Kate?'

Kate's voice trembled as she asked: 'What harm did he do, father, in
coming here? If his character is fair, why should he not come?'

Her father eyed her with an uneasy look. In truth, he feared Ned's
presence; for he knew that he loved Kate, and that she reciprocated the
feeling; and with the selfishness which old age sometimes brings with it,
he was unwilling that she should care for another than himself, or that
another should have a claim upon her. At last, he replied rather sharply:
'The reason why he should not come, is because I don't want him.'

Kate drew back, and said not another word; but Harson saw from her
compressed lip that the reply had cut deeply; and catching her eye, he
made a sign to her to leave them. Kate took the hint, and went out; and
Harson, after looking Rhoneland steadily in the face for some time, said,
'Jacob, you have given _your_ reason why Ned Somers should not come here.
It's a very poor one, and not such as I expected. Now I'll give you _mine_
why he _should_: Kate loves him, and he loves her.'

Jacob knit his brows, but made no reply.

'And let me tell you, too, that unless you _do_ consent, your child will
die. I'm in earnest. There are some who fall in love, as they call it, a
hundr