But I'm fightin' hard to keep down my old salt-water temper.
You go! There's the door." "All right, all right! I don't care what you say, so long as it's said so as to stop her from getting him--and said soon." "It'll be said to-night.

Now go! My people are waitin' at the chapel." "You're not going to that prayer meeting after THIS ?" "Where else should I go?
'Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.' And--and"-- his voice broke--"He knows that I AM heavy laden.
Lord! Lord! do help me, for this is more'n I can bear alone." The lock turned; the door opened and closed.

Grace, clinging to the balusters, heard Captain Hammond cross the room, slowly and feebly.
She heard him enter the sitting room.

Then she heard nothing more, not another sound, though the minutes dragged on and on, endlessly, eternally, and each with a message, a sentence repeated over and over again in her brain.

"If she really cares for him, she won't let him ruin his life." By and by, pale, but more composed, and with her mind made up, she came down into the hall.