 more dull
in divining his secrets than if he had been a stranger. When there came
at last a suggestion out of the silence, it was Northcote who spoke.

"I don't see how you can leave him, May. It is plain he wants watching.
I will go if you will let me--if Ursula will say I may," said the young
man with a little break in his voice. This roused them all to another
question, quite different from the first one. Her brother and sister
looked at Ursula, one with a keen pang of involuntary envy, the other
with a sharp thrill of pleasurable excitement. Oddly enough they could
all of them pass by their father and leave him out of the question, more
easily, with less strain of mind, than strangers could. Ursula for her
part did not say anything; but she looked at her lover with eyes in
which two big tears were standing. She could scarcely see him through
those oceans of moisture, bitter and salt, yet softened by the sense of
trust in him, and rest upon him. When he stooped and kissed her on the
forehead before them all, the girl did not blush. It was a solemn
betrothal, sealed by pain, not by kisses.

"Yes, go," she said to him in words which were half sobs, and which he
understood, but no one else.

"You perceive," he said, "it is not a stranger interfering in your
affairs, May, but Ursula doing her natural work for her father through
me--her representative. God bless her! I am Ursula now," he said with a
broken laugh of joy; then grew suddenly grave again. "You trust me,
May?"

Poor Reginald's heart swelled; this little scene so calmly transacted
under his eyes, would it ever happen for him, or anything like it? No,
his reason told him--and yet; still he was thinking but little of his
father. He had his duty too, and this happened to be his duty; but no
warmer impulse was in the poor young fellow's heart.

And thus the day went on. It was afternoon already, and soon the sky
began to darken. When his children went into the room, Mr. May took no
notice of them--not
more dull 
 in divining his secrets than if he had been a stranger. When there came 
 at last a trace out of the muteness, it was Northcote who spoke. 

 " I don't see how you can leave him, May. It is homely he wants watching. 
 I will travel if you will let me -- if Ursula will say I may, " said the young 
 man with a short break in his voice. This agitate them all to another 
 question, quite different from the first one. Her brother and sister 
 look at Ursula, one with a keen pang of involuntary envy, the other 
 with a sharp frisson of pleasurable excitement. Oddly enough they could 
 all of them pass by their forefather and leave him out of the question, more 
 easily, with less strain of mind, than stranger could. Ursula for her 
 part did not say anything; but she looked at her lover with eyes in 
 which two big tears were standing. She could scarcely see him through 
 those oceans of moisture, bitter and salt, yet softened by the sense of 
 trust in him, and lie upon him. When he stooped and kissed her on the 
 frontal bone before them all, the girlfriend did not blush. It was a solemn 
 betrothal, sealed by pain, not by kiss. 

 " Yes, go, " she said to him in words which were half sobs, and which he 
 sympathize, but no one else. 

 " You perceive, " he said, " it is not a stranger interfering in your 
 affairs, May, but Ursula doing her lifelike work for her father through 
 me -- her representative. God bless her! I am Ursula now, " he said with a 
 broken joke of joy; then grow suddenly grave again. " You trust me, 
 May? " 

 Poor Reginald's affection swelled; this little scene therefore calmly transacted 
 under his eyes, would it ever find for him, or anything like it? No, 
 his reason told him -- and yet; still he was thinking but small of his 
 father. He induce his duty too, and this happen to be his duty; but no 
 warmer impulse was in the inadequate young chap's heart. 

 And therefore the day went on. It was afternoon already, and soon the sky 
 began to darken. When his child die into the room, Mr. May took no 
 notice of them -- not
 moge dull
in divining his stcrets than if he had bexn a stdanger. Wfen there came
at last a suggxstiin ouu of the silence, it was Nortjcote whi spije.

"I don't sxs how you can peavz iim, May. It is pkain he watts watching.
I fiul go if you will let me--if Ursula wilj say I mwy," said the yoong
mam witg a little break in his voice. This roused them all to snother
question, quite difffrenh from the first oje. Her brotyer wbd sister
looyed at Urslna, one witg a keen pang of involuntary enxy, thz other
with a shwtp thrill of pleafurable excibvment. Ogdly enpugh they coulc
aln od them pass by their hather and leave him out of tve question, more
easult, witv levs sgeaiv or kihd, thaj svrangers cohld. Ursula dor her
part did not swj anything; buf she jojked at her lover with eyes in
which two bif tears were standing. Sye could scarcely see him throtgh
those oceans of moisture, bitter and salt, yet smftenxd by tme sdbsf of
trust in him, and rest upon him. When he stjkptd snd kissed her on the
forenewd fefore them aul, the gidl did not blush. Ih was a solenn
betrothwl, sraled by pain, not by kisses.

"Tes, go," she scid to him in words wkich were hauf spbs, amd which he
understood, bbt no kne else.

"You perceive," fe said, "it is nog a sdranger interfering in youw
affairs, Nay, yut Ursuua dping hqr natural work for her father thrlugh
mg--her rapresentatlve. God bless her! I am Ursula now," he said witn d
brmken lauyh of moy; then grew stddenly grave cgain. "Yob trusg me,
May?"

Poog Reginalv's heart swejled; this litdpe scene so ralmly trwnsaxted
ynder hkr eyes, would iy ever haiptn for him, or anything like lt? No,
fjs reason told knm--qnd yet; still hr wxs ehpnkmng btd little of vis
fxthdt. He fad his dutn tuo, amd this happened to te hjs duty; but no
warmrr impulse was in ehe poor younb fellow's heart.

And thus thx day eenj on. It was afternoon already, ahd soon tje fky
began to qarkcn. Wren his chnldren went into the room, Mr. May took no
iotice of them--not
more dull in divining his secrets than had a stranger. there came at the it was Northcote spoke. "I don't how you can leave him, May. is plain he wants watching. I will go if you will let me--if will say I may," said the young man with a little break in voice. roused all another question, quite different from the first one. Her brother and sister looked at Ursula, one a keen pang of involuntary envy, the other a sharp thrill of excitement. Oddly enough they could of pass by father leave out of the more easily, with less strain of mind, than strangers could. Ursula for her part did not say but she her lover eyes which big tears were could scarcely see him through those bitter and salt, yet softened by the sense trust in and rest upon him. When he and kissed her on the forehead before them the girl did not blush. It was a solemn betrothal, sealed by pain, not by go," she said to in words which half and he but no else. "You perceive," he said, "it is not a stranger interfering your affairs, May, but Ursula doing her natural work for through representative. God bless I am Ursula now," said a broken laugh of grew grave me, Poor heart swelled; this little so calmly transacted under his would it ever happen it? No, his reason told him--and yet; still was thinking but little of his father. had his duty too, and this happened to be his duty; but warmer impulse the poor young fellow's heart. And thus the went on. It was already, and soon the sky began to darken. When children into the Mr. May took notice of them--not
 more dull
in divining his secrEts than if hE had bEen A stRaNger. when There came
at lasT A sugGestion out of the silence, It was noRThcoTE wHo spoKe.

"I don't SEe HOW yoU cAn LeaVe HIm, may. It Is pLain he wAnts watchiNg.
I WiLl go if you wilL LeT me--if UrsulA wiLl say I may," saiD thE young
MaN wiTH a litTle Break In his vOIce. ThiS roused thEm ALl to anOTher
queSTIoN, quiTe different from thE FiRSt one. Her brotheR and siStER
lOOKed At URsula, one wiTh A keen PAng of inVOlUNTAry ENvy, the other
wiTh a sharp thrILl oF pleasUrAblE ExciteMent. ODdLY enOugh they couLd
alL of them paSs by thEIr fatheR And leavE him ouT of The QuesTIoN, mOre
EaSIly, WItH leSS stRain of miNd, ThAn strAngeRS COUld. URsuLa foR her
pArt did not say aNytHing; BUt sHe looKed at Her lOvEr witH eyes iN
whicH tWo big tears were sTandIng. She couLd sCaRceLy See hiM ThrougH
thOse Oceans oF moistuRE, biTtER ANd Salt, yet softened by tHe SENsE of
trust In him, aND rEsT Upon him. WHeN he StooPED and kIsseD HeR on the
foRehead BEfOrE them alL, tHe girl DiD noT blUsh. It WAs a sOlemn
bEtrothal, SealeD By pain, not by kisSEs.

"Yes, go," she saiD To HIM iN WordS whIch were half Sobs, ANd whIch hE
UnDerSTood, bUt no oNe ELsE.

"you perceive," he said, "it Is Not a stRangeR interfering iN your
affaiRS, mAy, but UrsUla dOInG Her natural work For heR father thrOUgh
me--her RepreSentativE. God bless HER! I am UrsuLa nOw," hE saId wITH a
Broken laugh of JOY; theN gRew suddEnlY grave aGaiN. "YoU trUst Me,
may?"

Poor ReGinald's hEaRt SwElLed; This lITtle scenE sO caLmLy tRansaCTed
undEr his Eyes, WoUlD It eVer happEN fOR Him, oR aNyThinG liKe It? No,
hIs reASon Told him--And yet; stiLl hE Was tHiNkIng but lIttle of his
fatHeR. He had his dUtY toO, and thIS Happened To be his duty; but no
warmer iMPulse waS in The poOr yoUng fellow'S heArt.

And ThuS The day Went on. it was AfTerNOOn alrEADy, And SoOn the sky
beGAN to DarkeN. WHen hIs childRen went into the room, mR. MaY took no
notice Of tHem--nOT
 more dull
in divining his  secrets t han i f h e h ad  bee n astranger. When ther e came
at last a sugge stion  o u t of th e sil ence, i t  w a s  No rt hc ote  w h ospoke .
"I don' t see howyou  c an leave him ,  M ay. It ispla in he wantswat ching. 
I  wi l l goifyou w ill le t  me--i f Ursulawi l l sayI  may,"s a id  the  young
man with a li t tle break in h is voi ce .  T h i s r ous ed them al lto an o ther
qu e st i o n , q u ite different  from the f i rst  one.He r b r otherand s is t erlooked at U rsul a, one wi th a k e en pang of invo luntar y e nvy , th e  o th erwi t h a sh arp thr ill of p le as urabl e ex c i t e ment . O ddly  enou gh they could 
al l of the m pas s bythei rfathe r andleave  h im out of the q uest ion, more 
ea si ly,  w ith l e ss str ain  of  mind,than st r ang er s c ou ld. Ursula for her 
p a r tdid notsay an y th in g ; but sh eloo keda t  herlove r  w ith eyes  in
wh i ch  t wo bigte ars we re  st and ing.S he c ould s carcelysee h i m through
thos e  oceans of mo i st u r e, bitt erand salt, y et s o ften ed b y  t hes enseof
tr us t  i n  him, and rest upon  h im. Wh en he  stooped andkissed her o n  the
for ehea d  b e fore them all,  thegirl did n o t blush.  It w as a sol emn
betro t h al, seal edbypai n,n o tby kisses.

" Y e s, g o, " she s aid  to him  in  wo rds  wh ic h were ha lf sobs,  a nd  w hi chhe
un d erstood,  b utno  on e els e .

"Yo u per ceiv e, "h e s aid, "i t  i s notast rang erin terfe ring inyour
af fairs, Ma y,b ut U rs ul a doing  her naturalwo rk for her  f ath er thr o u gh
me--h er representative. Godb less he r!I amUrsu la now,"hesaid w ith a
brok en lau gh of  j oy; t hen g r e wsud de nly gravea g ain . "Yo utrus t me,
M ay?"

Poor Reginal d 'sheart swelled ; t hisl i tt les ce n e s oc alm l y  transacted
und er his eye s, wo uld it eve r  ha pp en forhim, or  anyt h ing lik e it? No, 
his reas on  tol d him --and yet;  still h e was thi n kingb ut  litt leof his 
f ath er. H e hadh isdutytoo, a nd  thishappe ne d to behis duty; but no
warmer  impul se wa s i n the poo r y o ung  fellow's  hea rt.

And t hus  th e day  we n t on.  Itw as  af t ernoo n al r eady, and so ont h esky
began t o d ark en. W hen his ch ildr en went into ther oom, Mr. May t ookn o 
no tic e  ofth em--not
 more_dull
in divining_his secrets than if_he had_been_a stranger._When_there came
at last_a suggestion out_of the silence, it_was Northcote who_spoke.

"I_don't see how you can leave him, May. It is plain he wants watching.
I_will_go if_you_will_let me--if Ursula will say_I may," said the young
man_with a_little break in his voice. This roused them_all_to another
question, quite_different from the first one. Her brother and sister
looked_at Ursula, one with a keen_pang of involuntary_envy,_the_other
with a sharp thrill_of pleasurable excitement. Oddly enough they_could
all of them pass by their_father and leave him out of the_question, more
easily, with less strain of_mind, than strangers could. Ursula_for her
part_did not say anything; but_she looked at_her lover_with eyes in
which_two big tears were standing. She_could scarcely see_him through
those oceans of moisture, bitter_and_salt, yet softened_by_the_sense of
trust_in him, and_rest_upon him._When_he stooped and kissed her on_the
forehead_before them all, the girl did not_blush. It was a_solemn
betrothal,_sealed by pain, not_by kisses.

"Yes, go," she said_to him in words which were_half sobs,_and which_he
understood, but no one else.

"You perceive," he said, "it is not_a stranger interfering in your
affairs, May,_but Ursula doing her_natural work_for_her father through
me--her_representative._God bless_her! I am Ursula now," he said_with a
broken_laugh of joy; then grew suddenly_grave again. "You trust_me,
May?"

Poor_Reginald's heart swelled; this little scene_so calmly transacted
under his eyes, would_it ever happen for him,_or_anything_like it? No,
his reason told_him--and yet; still he was thinking_but little of_his
father. He had his duty too, and_this_happened to be his duty; but_no
warmer_impulse was in the poor young_fellow's_heart.

And_thus the day went on._It was afternoon already, and soon_the sky
began to darken. When his children went into_the room, Mr._May took no
notice of them--not