“O no, I am not. And if I were I would not marry her now that I know that Lally lives. My father threatened me with arrest and imprisonment if I did not give Lally up. He assured me that the marriage was null and void, and that he would provide for my poor girl. I’m a coward, Miss Wroat, a poor, pitiful coward, and I have had all my life long a deadly fear of my father. You cannot understand that fear; perhaps no one can; but I shall fling off that awe and terror of him, and be henceforth my own master. I was one-and-twenty yesterday, madam, and I am now accountable alone to God and to the laws of my country. I love Lally, and Lally alone, in all the world. I am going to try to be worthy of her. She is poor, and I am poor; but if she will take me back again,” said Rufus, humbly, “we will begin life anew, and I will try to be a better man. I will work for her, and I’ll try to be a great painter, so that she may be proud of me. And if I can’t be that, I’ll be anything that is honest and manly to earn our support. I know you have a poor opinion of me, madam, and I know I deserve it. I don’t amount to much from any point of view, but if you would intercede for me with Lally, and beg her to try me again and marry me, I will bless you always as my benefactress and savior.” The young man’s humility and anguished pleading touched the heart of Mrs. Peters, but she steeled herself against him, and said: “Mr. Black, I am sorry for you. I believe that you mean what you say now, but if you were once to get under your father’s influence again, Miss Lally would be as unhappy as ever. I advise you to go back to Miss Wynde, and leave Lally here. In time she may marry an honorable and upright gentleman, with whom she will be far happier than she could be with you.” A quick flush of jealousy overspread the youth’s face. His eyes glared at Mrs. Peters with a hunted expression. “She won’t marry again until I die, or the law has freed her from me,” he exclaimed. “I would never have proposed marriage to Miss Wynde, had I not supposed Lally to be dead. She is my wife, madam, and I’ll declare her to be such until she herself forbids me to do so. If she marries any other man I’ll kill him!” The young man’s jealous fury was succeeded by an instant and terrible despair. “Forgive me,” he said humbly. “What am I, to talk of controlling Lally’s movements? I have forfeited all claim upon her and upon her forgiveness. If she refuses to take me back, I can only go to perdition. If she will stretch out her hand to save me, I will be her slave. Will you not take a brief message to her from me, madam--only a few words?” Mrs. Peters fancied she heard a light step in the hall. She listened, but convinced of her mistake, said nervously and hastily: “I cannot convey your message, sir. I entreat you to leave Miss Bird in peace. I repeat that you cannot see her under this roof.”