"I did wrong," he said. "I ought to have spoken to your father, but he had forbidden me the house, and--but no! I will make no excuse for myself. I did wrong. Indeed--indeed, Anthony, among us all there is only one who stands blameless and pure and beautiful in integrity--and that is our dear Bessie. I did wrong, you acted wrongly, your father, Fox, all--all are blameworthy, but she--nay! Bess, suffer me to speak; what I say I feel, and so must all who know the circumstances. The Squire must have eyes blinder than those of the mole not to see your unselfishness, and a heart harder than a stone not to esteem your worth." "I pray you," pleaded Bessie, with crimson brow, "I pray you, not another word about me." "Very well, we will speak no more thereof now," said Luke, "but I must say something to Anthony. You, cousin, should now make an attempt to obtain your father's forgiveness." "What has he to forgive?" asked Anthony, impatiently. "Are not his own hard-heartedness and his hatred of Richard Malvine, the cause of all this misery?" "His hard-heartedness and hatred have done much," said Luke, "but neither of these is the cause of Urith's condition. That is your own doing." "Mine?" Though he asked the question, yet he answered it to himself, for his head sank, and he did not look his cousin in the face. "Yes--yours," replied Luke. "It was your unfaithfulness to Urith that drove her----" "I was not unfaithful," interrupted Anthony. "You hovered on the edge of it--sufficiently near infidelity to make her believe you had turned your heart away from her for another. There was the appearance, if not the reality, of treason. On that Fox worked, and wrought her into a condition of frenzy in which she was not responsible for what she said and did. From that she has not recovered." "Curse Fox!" swore Anthony, clenching his hands. "No, rebuke and condemn yourself," said Luke. "Fox could have fired nothing had not you supplied the fuel." Anthony remained with his head bowed on the table. He put up his hands to it, and did not speak for some time. At last he lowered his hands, laid the palms on the table, and said, frankly, "Cousin! sister! I am to blame. I confess my fault freely, and I would give the whole world to undo the past." "Then begin a new life, Tony," said Luke, "by going to your father and being reconciled to him." "I cannot. I cannot. How can I forget what he has done to Bess?" "And how can your Heavenly Father forgive you your trespass if you remain at enmity with your earthly father?" said Luke, sternly. "No, Tony, begin aright. Do what is clearly your first duty, and then walk forward, trusting in God." A struggle ensued in Anthony's breast. Then Bess took his hand again between her own, and said, "You have been brave, Tony, fighting on the battle-field; now show your true courage in fighting against your own pride. Come!" She held his hand still, and drew him after her. She had risen.