implore me to pity him, and kept saying no man ever loved as he loved me,
and with his begging and praying me so passionately--oh, so
passionately--I felt something warm drop from his poor eyes on my hand.
Oh! oh! oh! oh!--What could I do? And then, you know, I wanted to get
away from him. So I am afraid I did just say 'Yes.' But only in a
whisper. Mamma! my own, good, kind, darling mamma, have pity on him and
on me; we love one another so."

A shower of tender tears gushed out in support of this appeal and in a
moment she was caught up with Love's mighty arms, and her head laid on
her mother's yearning bosom. No word was needed to reconcile these two.

After a long silence, Mrs. Dodd said this would be a warning never to
judge her sweet child from a distance again, nor unheard. "And
therefore," said she, "let me hear from your own lips how so serious an
attachment could spring up. Why, it is scarcely a month since you were
first introduced at that ball."

"Mamma," murmured Julia, hanging her head, "you are mistaken; we knew
each other before."

Mrs. Dodd looked all astonishment.

"Now I _will_ ease my heart," said Julia, impetuously, addressing some
invisible obstacle. "I tell you I am sick of having secrets from my own
mother." And with this out it all came. She told the story of her heart
better than I have; and, woman-like, dwelt on the depths of loyalty and
delicate love she had read in Alfred's moonlit face that night at Henley.
She said no eloquence could have touched her like it. "Mamma, something
said to me, 'Ay, look at him well, for that is your husband to be.'" She