Evelina looked at him tremblingly. There was something strained and solemn in his manner. “I’ll hear whatever you have to say, sir,” she said. The old man leaned his pale face over her and raised a shaking forefinger. “I’ve made up my mind to say something,” said he. “I don’t know as I’ve got any right to, and maybe my son will blame me, but I’m goin’ to see that you have a chance. It’s been borne in upon me that women folks don’t always have a fair chance. It’s jest this I’m goin’ to say: I don’t know whether you know how my son feels about it or not. I don’t know how open he’s been with you. Do you know jest why he quit you?” Evelina shook her head. “No,” she panted--“I don’t--I never knew. He said it was his duty.” “Duty can get to be an idol of wood and stone, an’ I don’t know but Thomas’s is,” said the old man. “Well, I’ll tell you. He don’t think it’s right for him to marry you, and make you leave that big house, and lose all that money. He don’t care anything about it for himself, but it’s for you. Did you know that?” Evelina grasped the old man’s arm hard with her little fingers. “You don’t mean that--was why he did it!” she gasped. “Yes, that was why.” Evelina drew away from him. She was ashamed to have Thomas’s father see the joy in her face. “Thank you, sir,” she said. “I did not understand. I--will write to him.” “Maybe my son will think I have done wrong coming betwixt him and his idees of duty,” said old Thomas Merriam, “but sometimes there’s a good deal lost for lack of a word, and I wanted you to have a fair chance an’ a fair say. It’s been borne in upon me that women folks don’t always have it. Now you can do jest as you think best, but you must remember one thing--riches ain’t all. A little likin’ for you that’s goin’ to last, and keep honest and faithful to you as long as you live, is worth more; an’ it’s worth more to women folks than ’tis to men, an’ it’s worth enough to them. My son’s poorly. His mother and I are worried about him. He don’t eat nor sleep--walks his chamber nights. His mother don’t know what the matter is, but he let on to me some time since.” “I’ll write a letter to him,” gasped Evelina again. “Good-night, sir.” She pulled her little black silk shawl over her head and hastened home, and all night long her candle burned, while her weary little fingers toiled over pages of foolscap-paper to convince Thomas Merriam fully, and yet in terms not exceeding maidenly reserve, that the love of his heart and the companionship of his life were worth more to her than all the silver and gold in the world. Then the next morning she despatched it, all neatly folded and sealed, and waited.