"I have hitherto commanded, and have usually been obeyed," continued the old man, "but now I must entreat. I am to be dishonoured through my children, one--my son--has left me and taken to himself another home, and defies me in all things. My daughter, by holding out her hand, could save me and all my hopes and ambitions, and she will not. Will she have me--me, an old grey-headed father, kneel at her feet?" He put his hands to the arms of his seat to help him to rise from the chair that he might fall before her. "Father!" She uttered a cry, and, at the shock that shuddered through her, the flaming wick sank into the socket, and there burnt blue as a lambent ghost of a flame. "O father!--wait!--wait!" "How long am I to wait? The answer must be given to-night; the doom of our house is sealed within a few hours, or the word of salvation must be spoken. Which shall it be? The messenger who is here carries my answer to Exeter, and, at the same time, if you agree, the demand for a licence, that you may be married at once. No delay is possible." "Let me have an hour--in my room!" "No; it must be decided at once." "Oh, father--at once?" She watched the blue quiver of light in the candle socket. "Very well--well--when the light goes out you shall have my answer." He said no other word, but watched her pale face, looking weird in the upward flicker of the dying blue flame, and her eyes rested on that flame, and the flicker was reflected in them--now bright, then faint, swaying from side to side as a tide. Then a mass of wax fell in, fed the flame, and it shot up in a golden spiral, revealing Bessie's face completely. "Father! I but just now said to Fox Crymes 'Never! never! never!'" She paused, the flame curled over. "Father! within a few minutes must I go forth to him and withdraw the 'Never?'" He did not answer, but he nodded. She had raised her eyes from the dying flame to look at him. Again her eyes fell on the light. "Father! If I withdraw my 'Never,' will you withdraw yours about Anthony?--never to forgive him--never to see him in Hall--never to count him as your son?" The flame disappeared--the old man thought it was extinguished, but Bessie saw it still as a blue bead rolling on the molten wax; it caught a thread of wick and shot up again. "Father! I do not say promise, but say perhaps." "So be it--Perhaps." The flame was out. Bessie walked calmly to the door, felt for the key, turned it, went forth, still holding the extinguished candle in her hand. It was to her as if all that made life blessed and bright to her had gone out with that flame. She went into the parlour and composedly put out her hand to Fox. "Take me," she said. "I have withdrawn the 'Never.' I am yours!" CHAPTER XLIV. LADING THE COACH.