“I came to take him away,” said Amy, who had begun to tremble from head to foot. “It is my business to take care of him.”

“Your business! When he has his own family? His own mother!”

“If a man is to leave father and mother and cleave to his wife,” answered Amy, “it’s the least thing the wife can do to take care of him from his father!”

Mr. Raymount stood confounded. What could the hussy mean? Was she going to pretend she was married to him?

Indignation and rage began to rise afresh. But if he gave way what might he not be guilty of a second time! A rush of shame choked the words that crowded to his lips. And with the self-restraint came wholesome doubt—was it possible he had married her?

Would it not be just worthy of him to have done so and never told one of his family! At least there need be nothing incredible in it! This girl—yes—plainly she had both cunning and fascination enough to make him not only run after her but marry her! How was he to know the truth of the thing? The coward would not have the courage to contradict her, but he would know if he were lying!

“Do—do you mean to tell me,” he said, “that he has married you—without a word to his own father or mother?”

Then at last Cornelius spoke, rising on his elbow in the bed:

“Yes, father,” he said with slow determination, “I have married her. It is all my fault, not a bit hers.”

“Why did you not let us know then?” cried the father.

“Because I was a coward,” answered Corney, speaking the truth with courage. “I knew you would not like it.”

“Little you know of what I like or dislike!”

“You can soon prove him wrong, sir!” said Amy, looking up in his face through the growing light of the morning. “Forgive us, and take me too. I was so happy to think I was going to belong to you all! I would never have married him, if I had known—without your consent, I mean. It was very wrong of Corney, but I will try to make him sorry for it.”

“You never will!” said Corney.

Now first the full horror of what he had done broke upon the mind of Mr. Raymount. He stood for a moment appalled.

“You will let me take him away then?” said Amy, thinking he hesitated to receive her.

Now whether it was from an impulse of honesty towards her, or of justification of himself, I cannot tell, but he instantly answered,

“Do you know that his money is stolen?”

“If he stole it,” she replied, “he will never steal again.”

“He will never get another chance. He cannot get a situation now.”