The dying woman turned her dark eyes from one group to the other, and then spoke. “We sent for you, Mr. Wellworth, to join the hands of this young pair--not in marriage, for which one of them is much too youthful; but in a solemn betrothal, that shall possess all the sanctity, if not the legal force of marriage. Will you do this?” “I will do everything in my power to serve Mrs. Helmstedt or her family,” said the clergyman. “Margaret, my love, draw this ring from my finger, and hand it to Mr. Wellworth, who will give it to Ralph,” said Mrs. Helmstedt, holding out her thin, transparent hand, from the fourth finger of which Margaret drew the plain gold circlet, her mother’s wedding ring, and passed it to the minister, who put it in the hand of Ralph Houston. Then the dying woman turned her solemn eyes upon Mr. Houston, and in a voice thrilling with the depth and strength of a mother’s deathless love, said: “Ralph Houston, you promise here, in the awful presence of God--of the living, and of the dying--to love and respect this maiden, as your destined wife, and to wed her when she shall have attained a suitable age?” Ralph passed his arm protectingly around the half-sinking form of Margaret, and answered, slowly and solemnly: “In the presence of God, and of her mother, I promise to love, and honor and serve, my affianced bride, Margaret, until such time as she shall bestow her hand in full marriage on me, and thenceforth forever. So help me God and all good angels.” “Amen. Now place the ring upon her finger.” Ralph Houston obeyed; and then Mrs. Helmstedt beckoned them to draw nearer, and taking the hand of Margaret, she placed it in that of Ralph, saying, solemnly: “Ralph Houston, I bestow upon you my heart’s precious child--my dove, as you have heard me call her. Oh, be tender with her! And may God so love and bless you, as you shall love and bless the dove that is to nestle in your home.” “Amen!” in turn said Ralph. And still holding their hands together, Mrs. Helmstedt--skeptic for herself, believer for her child--called on Mr. Wellworth to seal and bless this betrothal with prayer and benediction. At the signal of the minister, all knelt. And while Mrs. Helmstedt still held together the hands of the young couple, Mr. Wellworth reverently lifted his voice and prayed God’s blessing upon the living and the dying. They all arose from their knees, and Mrs. Helmstedt pressed those joined hands to her lips before she released them. She was very much exhausted, and turning to the doctor, whispered, in a voice nearly extinct through faintness: “Doctor, I must live an hour longer--one hour longer, doctor--is there no potential drug that will keep life in this frame for an hour?” “You may live many hours, or even days--nay, you may even recover, dear lady--for while there is life there is hope. Now, you are only exhausted, and this will restore you,” said the physician, pouring out a cordial, and placing it to her lips.