"Come here, you two, and kiss your father," said Heathman. The girls came, and first Phyllis kissed Nathan nervously, and then the touch that he hungered for rested a moment on his cheek. With Cora's kiss the tension subsided; he sank back, and Priscilla drew the sheet up to his beard, and again lifted the pillow. "Now I shall go in some sort of peace, though an erring and a sinful man," he murmured. "If you can forgive me, so will my Saviour. And let this secret be a secret for ever. Remember that, all of you. 'Tis beyond human power to make you legitimate Baskervilles; but Baskervilles you are, and, please God, will lead a better and wiser life than I have led. No need to tell anybody the truth. Forgive your father, and forget him so soon as ever you can; but worship your mother always--to your dying day worship her; protect her and shield her, and stand between her and the rough wind, and be proud of having such a blessed brave woman for a mother." "You needn't tell me that," said Heathman. The other stopped, but held up his hand for silence. After a little rest he proceeded. "The time's coming when she will need all the love and wit you've got among you. 'Tis no good talking much about that, and I haven't the human courage left to meet your hard faces, or tears, or frowns. All I say is, forgive me, and love your mother through thick and thin. All the blame is mine--none of it belongs to her." He held his hand out to Cora. She was sitting on the edge of the bed looking out of the window. "You'll remember, my Cora," he said. "And--and let me hear you call me 'father' just once--if you can bring yourself to do it." "The money, dear father?" she asked. He smiled, and it was the last time that he ever did so. "Like my sensible Cora," he answered. But he did not continue the subject. "You'd best all to go now," declared Priscilla. She rose and looked straight into the eyes of her children each in turn. The girls flinched; the son went to her and kissed her. "Don't you think this will make any difference to me," said Heathman. "You're a damned sight too good a mother for me, whether or no--or for them women either; and this man here--our father, I should say--needn't worrit about you, for I'll always put you afore anything else in the world." "And so will I, mother," said Phyllis. "Of course, we all will," added Cora; "and the great thing must be for us all to keep as dumb as newts about it. 'Twould never do for it to come out--for mother's sake more than ours, even. I don't say it for our sakes, but for mother's sake, and for father's good name, too." "Such wisdom--such wisdom!" said Nathan. "You've all treated me better than I deserved--far better. And God will reward you for such high forgiveness to a wicked wretch. I'll see you all again once before I die. Promise that. Promise you'll come again, Cora."