The old man did not answer. He regarded her with sad, troubled eyes through his smoky glasses. "You, too, Uncle Ben, have turned against me just when I thought you would be such a comfort to me," sobbed his niece. "You are willful and unjust, my child, if you expect me to counsel you to throw over your lover for the sake of a man who has a wife already," was the mild reply. "But he will be divorced, uncle, and then we will be free to love each other." "And this honorable young man, Mr. Darrell, will be thrown over remorselessly for the world to laugh at as a jilted man!" "Uncle Ben, I can explain it all to Teddy. He is so good and kind he will forgive me. He would not want to marry me if he knew that I loved another man." Her heart, thrilling with the intensity of her love, lent fire to her eyes and passion to her voice. She felt that it would be a sin to marry Teddy with her heart so full of Ralph. But the old man she had thought so kind and gentle rose up angrily and caught her hand. "You are mad--mad, girl, to think of throwing over Teddy Darrell for this miserable actor! You shall not do it!" he cried, violently. Kathleen tore her little white hand from his clasp in haughty amazement. "You have no right to control my actions!" she exclaimed; and he sunk back into his chair and covered his face with his hand. "True, true!" she heard him murmur, dejectedly. "I have no authority over my brother's child. I am only a poor, humble old farmer, and my advice is not desired, even though I would save my brother's only child from wrecking her life for the sake of an unwise love! So be it. I will go now, a sadder, wiser old man." The pitiful words touched the girl's heart, melting her resentment. She knelt by him and drew the hand away from his moist eyes, murmuring, remorsefully: "Dear Uncle, forgive me. I was hasty, and am sorry that I wounded you. What would you have me do?" "To marry Mr. Darrell," he replied, firmly. "How can I?" she moaned, wearily. "At least say nothing to any one of your change of mind just yet, Kathleen. Think a moment. Ralph Chainey may not get his divorce. Then, were it not better, child, for you not to compromise yourself by declaring your love for him?" "Perhaps so," she replied, dejectedly. "Then you promise me not to have anything to say to Ralph Chainey until the divorce is secured?" he went on, eagerly. "I promise," answered the girl, with a long, heart-breaking sigh. "Oh!" she thought, "how cold and cruel old people are! Surely they forget they were ever young, or that they ever loved!" But she could not bear to grieve the poor old man, and so she gave him her promise. "It is not for long, anyhow," she consoled herself with thinking, for she thought it could not be long before Ralph secured the divorce. "Then nothing on earth shall keep us apart," she thought, blissfully. "Poor Teddy! he will soon get over his disappointment and love some other girl."