A long silence followed. To Kate there came the memory of the frail,
young mother lying, day after day, upon her couch in the solitude of her
sick-room, often weeping silently, while she, a mere child, knelt sadly
and wistfully beside her, as silently wiping the tear-drops as they fell
and wondering at their cause. She understood now, but not for worlds
would she have spoken one word to pain her father's heart.
At last Mr. Underwood said, rising as though to end the interview, "I
think I can depend upon you now, Kate, to carry out my wishes in this
matter."
Kate rose proudly. "I have never disobeyed you, papa; I will treat Mr.
Walcott courteously; but even though you force me to marry him I will
never, never love him, and I shall tell him so."
Her father smiled. "Mr. Walcott, I think, has too much good sense to
attach much weight to any girlish whims; that will pass, you will think
differently by and by."
As she stopped for her usual good-night kiss she threw her arms about
her father's neck, and, looking appealingly into his face, said,-"Papa, it need not be very soon, need it? You are not in a hurry to be
rid of your little girl?"
"Don't talk foolishly, child," he answered, hastily; "you know I've no
wish to be rid of you, but I do want to see you settled in a home of
your own--equal to the best, and, as I said a while ago, and told Mr.
Darrell in talking the matter over with him, I know of no one in whose
hands I would so willingly place you and your happiness as Mr.
Walcott's. As for the date and other matters of that sort," he added,
playfully pinching her cheeks, "I suppose those will all be mutually
arranged between the gentleman and yourself."
Kate had started back slightly. "You have talked this over with Mr.
Darrell?" she exclaimed.
"Yes, why not?"
"What did he think of it?"
"Well," said her father, slowly, "naturally he did not quite fall in
with my views, for I think he is not just what you could call a
disinterested party. I more than half suspect that Mr. Darrell would
like to step into Mr. Walcott's place himself, if he were only eligible,
but knowing that he is not, he is too much of a gentleman to commit
himself in any way."
Mr. Underwood scanned his daughter's face keenly as he spoke, but it was
as impassive as his own. To Kate, Darrell's absences of late were now
explained; he understood it all. She kissed her father silently.
"You know, Puss, I am looking out for your best interests in all of
this," said her father, a little troubled by her silence.