'If I could serve you,' he went on, 'without asking such a great thing as this, believe me I would not trouble you, but I could see no other way. I could not help naming it to you. If there were some brighter life before you, and I could be sure that you were happy, I think I should be satisfied; but now you are alone, and I cannot bear to think of it.' The tears were in her eyes. Once more she held out her hand towards him, and, grasping his, she spoke very softly. 'Dear friend, it is so good of you--so very good, but----' 'Hush,' he answered quickly, drawing back. 'Yes, I know, I understand. I always knew it must be so, forgive me.' 'Forgive you! the truest, the only friend I have.' 'It was just that. If some one, with a better right than mine, had claimed the great happiness of taking care of you, I would have said no word; but I thought--that is, Janet thought--we might venture just to say how welcome--how proud--how glad----' 'I know how faithful you are. I know you are sorry for me, but you must not----' 'I will not. I never will again. Let me be your friend, Dorothy, still. Another day I will come back,' he said, trying to smile; 'and you will tell your father's old friend your plans. Let me go now.' He was gone. She called his name. Surely if he had heard her voice then, he would have come back. I think too, that those last half-choking words of his, first made her understand that he did not come to her because he had been her father's friend, but because he loved her. I heard the door slammed after Master Caleb. As soon as I could get out without being seen, I ran after him. It was difficult to catch him up, at the pace he walked. When I reached him, out of breath, he put his hand heavily on my shoulder. 'Master Caleb,' I said, looking up into his face, 'may I speak to you?' 'Not now,' he answered, very gently. 'Not now, my boy. It has all ended, Willie, as I knew it must.' 'I am sorry,' I said boldly; 'but I heard all you and Mistress Dorothy said. I was in the study window, where you put me, sir, and I could not help it.' He did not heed me much. 'We will not speak of it again, Willie. She was quite right to say no.' 'But, Master Caleb, I thought she was going to say "yes."' He stopped in the road and stared at me. 'Going to say yes!' he repeated slowly. 'Only you would not let her, sir. You gave her no time, and then you went away.' He still looked hard at me, and shook his head slowly. 'You know very little about it, Willie.' We walked on a long way in silence. At last he said again, 'You thought she would have said yes?' 'I thought so, sir.' 'You know nothing at all about it.' When we reached home there was Mrs. Janet watching eagerly for us. I guessed how much Master Caleb dreaded having to meet and tell her all.