I was close beside them now, and fancied I saw through the dusk the motion of her hand stealing into his. "Well, Joe, this is just what I wanted," I said. "A woman can be braver than a big smith sometimes. Agnes has done her part. Now you do yours, and tell me all about it." No response followed my adjuration. I must help him. "I think I know how the matter lies, Joe. You think you are not going to live long, and that therefore you ought not to marry. Am I right?" "Not far off it, sir," he answered. "Now, Joe," I said, "can't we talk as friends about this matter? I have no right to intrude into your affairs--none in the least--except what friendship gives me. If you say I am not to talk about it, I shall be silent. To force advice upon you would be as impertinent as useless." "It's all the same, I'm afraid, sir. My mind has been made up for a long time. What right have I to bring other people into trouble? But I take it kind of you, sir, though I mayn't look over-pleased. Agnes wants to hear your way of it. I'm agreeable." This was not very encouraging. Still I thought it sufficient ground for proceeding. "I suppose you will allow that the root of all Christian behaviour is the will of God?" "Surely, sir." "Is it not the will of God, then, that when a man and woman love each other, they should marry?" "Certainly, sir--where there be no reasons against it." "Of course. And you judge you see reason for not doing so, else you would?" "I do see that a man should not bring a woman into trouble for the sake of being comfortable himself for the rest of a few weary days." Agnes was sobbing gently behind her handkerchief. I knew how gladly she would be Joe's wife, if only to nurse him through his last illness. "Not except it would make her comfortable too, I grant you, Joe. But listen to me. In the first place, you don't know, and you are not required to know, when you are going to die. In fact, you have nothing to do with it. Many a life has been injured by the constant expectation of death. It is life we have to do with, not death. The best preparation for the night is to work while the day lasts, diligently. The best preparation for death is life. Besides, I have known delicate people who have outlived all their strong relations, and been left alone in the earth--because they had possibly taken too much care of themselves. But marriage is God's will, and death is God's will, and you have no business to set the one over against, as antagonistic to, the other. For anything you know, the gladness and the peace of marriage may be the very means intended for your restoration to health and strength. I suspect your desire to marry, fighting against the fancy that you ought not to marry, has a good deal to do with the state of health in which you now find yourself. A man would get over many things if he were happy, that he cannot get over when he is miserable." "But it's for Aggy. You forget that."