Van Ness stooped closer to her: she could feel his warm clammy breath on her cheek. "You are very dear to me." Seeing that she shuddered, he changed his mode of attack to direct assault: "If you marry me you will restore the property--restore, you understand?--to the children to whom it belongs." "Jenny," moaned her father, "are you ready? I cannot die in peace until this is done." The clergyman took pity on the girl: something in her set, deep-lined face alarmed him: "Is there any reason why you do not wish to gratify your father's last wish?" She did not answer. There was no reason but her hopeless passion for another man, whose wife she could never be. Yet it seemed to her that God was bidding her to be true to that true love at whatever cost. "I infer," said the little man, turning to Van Ness, "that the marriage was arranged before, and is only hastened now by"--glancing at the captain--"circumstances." "Yes, yes! Precisely!" suavely. "You may trust me. You may have heard my name before--Pliny Van Ness." Mr. Lampret bowed deferentially: "The name is well known. Our church has reason--grateful," he murmured.--"My dear Miss Swendon, this is a hard trial--hard. A young girl would fain give herself away with joy and rejoicing. But as your father will not depart in peace, I see no reason why the ceremony should not immediately take place." "Jane! Jane!" cried the captain shrilly, "why do you delay?" There was no answer for a minute. Then there came into her face a sudden resolve. She turned and held out her hand to Van Ness: "I will marry you." The words revived the captain. "Lift me up," he said to David--"Closer, closer, Mr. Lampret! I can't hear very well." He listened eagerly until the last words of the marriage service were said. Then his head sank on his breast: "I'm always loth to interfere. But I am glad that is settled properly." Van Ness turned to kiss his wife, but, without seeing him apparently, she went up to her father and put her lips to his. Van Ness followed her, as if to assert his rightful place, and, standing on the other side of the sofa, possessed himself of the captain's one hand, pressing it gently. "He is sinking very fast," he said. "Let him rest in my arms." She shivered, and held him tighter to her breast. When she would have stroked back the gray hair from his forehead, Van Ness's soft fingers were there with hers, soothing them: "Compose yourself. Our dear father will soon be gone." "Jenny!" "Yes, father." "I'll hear you now--your chapter, you know. We ought to have read the Bible more. We forgot the Lord, we were so busy. But--but--" He lifted his hand, struggled to rise, his dim eyes lighting with sudden energy. "Jenny! He doesn't forget me now!" "No, father, no!" There was a long silence. Dave sobbed aloud. Mr. Van Ness cleared his throat composedly. "I will sing," he said. "A hymn would soothe his passage, probably; or shall I pray?" Jane leaned forward: "Go away!"