look upon your daughter, and my soul is groveling at her feet. I love her
with such intensity that I have feared sometimes I should break down and
beseech her to have pity on me. Now you have it all. Tell me, I pray, how
I can be true to myself and to the hospitality which you have extended me
until Jack shall be married and I can return to my native land!"

When he once had begun, his words were poured out in a torrent; his face
was pale; he trembled, and his breath came in half gasps.

Mrs. Hamlin was silent a moment. Then, looking up, she said: "Have you
spoken of this to Jack?"

"Not one word," he replied.

"Or to Grace?"

"O, Mrs. Hamlin, believe me, not one word."

The lady leaned her head upon her hand for a few moments. Then, looking
up, she said: "You ask me what to do. I cannot help you. But my judgment
would be that you go directly to Grace and ask her help. I have not the
slightest idea of her sentiments toward you, but if she does not care for
you and thinks she never can, she will frankly tell you. If she does love
you, she is probably suffering more than you are."

"O, Mrs. Hamlin," said Sedgwick, "are you willing that I shall speak to
her, that I shall tell her how much she is to me?"

"Quite willing," was the answer; spoken after a moment's thought.
"Believe me, I never suspected anything of this kind, never in the least,