down to mud and stagnant shallows and a swarm of stinging insects？ At last she spoke； but with difficulty：〃I have known for a year that you were interested in Amy。 You could not have been here so much without our seeing that。 But let me ask you one question： Have you ever thought that I wished you to marry her？〃 〃I have always beheld in you an unmasked enemy；〃 he replied； smiling。
〃Then I can go on；〃 she said。 〃But I feel as though never in my life have I done a thing that is as near being familiar and unwomanly。 Nevertheless； for your sakefor hersfor oursit is my plain； hard duty to ask you whether you are sureeven if you should have her consentthat my niece is the woman you ought to marry。〃 And she lifted to him her clear； calm eyes； prematurely old in the experience of life。
〃I am sure；〃 he answered with the readiness of one who has foreseen the question。
The negro boy approached with a bucket of cold crystal water； and he drank a big gourd full of it gratefully。
〃You can go and kindle the fire in the kitchen；〃 she said to the negro。 〃It is nearly time to be getting supper。 I will be in by and by。〃
〃You have been with her so much！〃 she continued to Gray after another interval of embarrassment。 〃And you know； or you ought to know； her disposition； her tastes； her ways and views of life。 Is she the companion you need now？ will always need？〃
〃I have been much with her；〃 he replied； taking up her words with humorous gravity。 〃But I have never studied her as I have studied law。 I have never cross…examined her for a witness； or prosecuted her as an attorney； or pronounced sentence on her is a judge。 I am her advocateand I am ready to defend her noweven to you！〃 〃John！〃〃I love herthat is all there is of it！〃
〃Suppose you wait a little longer。〃
〃I have waited too long already from necessity。〃 It was on his lips to add： 〃I have gone too far with her； it is too late to retreat；〃 but he checked himself。
〃If I should feel； then； that I must withhold my consent？〃
He grew serious； and after the silence of a few moments； he said with great respect：〃I should be sorry； but〃 and then he forbore。
〃If Major Falconer should withhold his？〃 He shook his head； and set his lips； turning his face away through courtesy。 〃It would make no difference！ Nothing would make any difference！〃 and then another silence followed。 〃I suppose all this would be considered the proof that you loved her；〃 she began at length； despairingly； 〃but even love is not enough to begin with； much less is it enough to live by。〃
〃You don't appreciate her！ You don't do her justice！〃 he cried rudely。 〃But perhaps no woman can ever understand why a man loves any other woman！〃 〃I am not thinking of why you love my niece；〃 she replied； with a curl of pride in her nostril and a flash of anger in her eyes。 〃I am thinking of why you will cease to love her； and why you will both be unhappy if you marry her。 It is not my duty to analyze your affections； it is my duty to take care of her welfare。〃〃My dear friend；〃 he cried； his face aglow with impatient enthusiasm 〃my dear friend〃 and he suddenly lifted her hand to his lips； 〃I have but one anxiety in the whole matter： will you cease to be my friend if I act in opposition to your wishes？〃 〃Should I cease to be your friend because you had made a mistake？ It is not to me you are unkind；〃 she answered； quickly withdrawing her hand。 Spots of the palest rose appeared on her cheeks； and she bent over and picked up the rake； and began to work。
〃I must be going；〃 he said awkwardly； 〃it is getting late。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃it is getting late。〃
Still he lingered； swinging his hat in his hand； ill at case； with his face set hard away。 〃Is that all you have to say to me？〃 he asked at length； wheeling and looking her steadily and fondly in the eyes。
〃That is all；〃 she replied； controlling the quiver in her voice； but then letting herself go a little； she added with slow distinctness： 〃You might remember this： some women in marrying demand all and give all： with good men they are the happy； with base men they are the brokenhearted。 Some demand everything and give little： with weak men they are tyrants； with strong men they are the divorced。 Some demand little and give all： with congenial souls they are already in heaven； with uncongenial they are soon in their graves。 Some give little and demand little： they are the heartless； and they bring neither the joy of life nor the peace of death。〃 〃And which of these is Amy？〃 he said； after a minute of reflection。 〃And which of the men am I？〃 〃Don't ask her to marry you until you find out both；〃 she answered。
She watched him as he strode away from her across the clearing； with a look in her eyes that she knew nothing ofwatched him； motionless； until his tall； black figure passed from sight behind the green sunlit wall of the wilderness。 What undisciplined； unawakened strength there was in him！ how far such a stride as that would carry him on in life！ It was like the tread of one of his own forefathers in Cromwell's unconquer…able； hymn…singing armies。 She loved to think of him as holding his descent from a line so pious and so grim： it served to account to her for the quality of stern； spiritual soldiership that still seemed to be the mastering trait of his nature。 How long would it remain so； was the question that she had often asked of herself。 A fighter in the world he would always beshe felt sure of that； nor was it necessary to look into his past to obtain this assurance； one had but to look into his eyes。 Moreover； she had little doubt that with a temper so steadily bent on conflict； he would never suffer defeat where his own utmost strength was all that was needed to conquer。 But as he grew older； and the world in part conquered him as it conquers so many of us； would he go into his later battles as he had entered his earlier onesto the measure of a sacred chant？ Beneath the sweat and wounds of all his victories would he carry the white lustre of conscience； burning untarnished in him to the end？
It was this religious purity of his nature and his life； resting upon him as a mantle visible to all eyes but invisible to him； that had； as she believed； attracted her to him so powerfully。 On that uncouth border of Western civilization； to which they had both been cast； he was a little lonely in his way； she in hers； and this fact had drawn them somewhat together。 He was a scholar； she a reader； that too had formed a bond。 He had been much at their home as lover of her niece； and this intimacy had given her a good chance to take his wearing measure as a man。 But over and above all other things； it was the effect of the unfallen in him； of the highest keeping itself above assault； of his first youth never yet brushed away as a bloom； that constituted to her his distinction among the men that she had known。 It served to place him in contrast with the colonial Virginia society of her remembrancea society in which even the minds of the clergy were not like a lawn scentless with the dew on it； but like a lawn parched by the afternoon sun and full of hot odours。 It kept him aloof from the loose ways of the young backwoodsmen and aristocrats of the town； with whom otherwise he closely mingled。 It gave her the right； she thought； to indulge a friendship for him such as she had never felt for any other man； and in this friendship it made it easier for her to overlook a great deal that was rude in him； headstrong； overbearing。
When； this afternoon； he had asked her what she was thinking of when he surprised her with his visit； she had not replied： she could not have avowed even to herself that she was thinking of such things as these： that having； for some years； drawn out a hard； dull life in that settlement of pathfinders； trappers； woodchoppers； hunters； Indian fighters； surveyors； having afterwards； with little interest； watched them； one by one； as the earliest types of civilization followed；the merchant； the lawyer； the priest； the preacher of the Gospel； the soldiers and officers of the Revolution；at last； through all the wilderness； as it now fondly seemed to her； she saw shining the white light of his long absent figure； bringing a new melody to the woods； a new meaning to her life； and putting an end to all her desire ever to return to the old society beyond the mountains。
His figure passed out of sight； and she turned and walked sorrowfully to the cabin； from the low rugged chimney of which a pale blue smoke now rose into the twilight air。 She chid herself that she had confronted the declaration of his purpose to marry her niece with so little spirit； such faulty tact。 She had long known that he would ask this； she had long gotten ready what she would say； but in the struggle between their wills； she had been unaccountably embarrassed； she had blundered； and he had left rather strengthened than weakened in his determination。
But she must prevent the marriage； her mind was more resolute than ever as to that。 Slowly she reached the doorstep of the cabin； a roughly hewn log； and turning； stood there with her bonnet in her hand； her white figure outlined before the doorway； slender and still。 The sun had set。 Night was rushing on over the awful land。 The wolf…dog； in his kennel behind the house； rose； shook himself at his chain； and uttered a long howl that reached away to the dark woodsthe darker for the vast pulsing yellow light that waved behind them in the west like a gorgeous soft aerial fan。 As the echoes died out from the peach orchard came the song of a robin； calling for love and rest。 Then from another direction across the clearing another sound reached her： the careless whistle of the major； returning from his day's work in the field。 When she heard that； her face took on the expression that a woman sometimes comes to wear when she has accepted what life has brought her although it has brought her nothing for which she cares； and her lips opened with an unconscious sigh of wearinessthe weariness that has been gathering weariness for years and that runs on in weariness through the future。
Later； she was kneeling before the red logs of the fireplace with one hand shielding her delicate face from the blistering heat； in the other holding the shingle on w