Mr. Hale went on. 'He came to offer any assistance in his power,
I believe. But I could not see him. I told Dixon to ask him if he
would like to see you--I think I asked her to find you, and you
would go to him. I don't know what I said.' 'He has been a very agreeable acquaintance, has he not?' asked
Frederick, throwing the question like a ball for any one to catch
who chose.
'A very kind friend,' said Margaret, when her father did not
answer.
Frederick was silent for a time. At last he spoke: 'Margaret, it is painful to think I can never thank those who
have shown you kindness. Your acquaintances and mine must be
separate. Unless, indeed, I run the chances of a court-martial,
or unless you and my father would come to Spain.' He threw out
this last suggestion as a kind of feeler; and then suddenly made
the plunge. 'You don't know how I wish you would. I have a good
position--the chance of a better,' continued he, reddening like a
girl. 'That Dolores Barbour that I was telling you of,
Margaret--I only wish you knew her; I am sure you would like--no,
love is the right word, like is so poor--you would love her,
father, if you knew her. She is not eighteen; but if she is in
the same mind another year, she is to be my wife. Mr. Barbour
won't let us call it an engagement. But if you would come, you
would find friends everywhere, besides Dolores. Think of it,
father. Margaret, be on my side.' 'No--no more removals for me,' said Mr. Hale. 'One removal has
cost me my wife. No more removals in this life. She will be here;
and here will I stay out my appointed time.' 'Oh, Frederick,' said Margaret, 'tell us more about her. I never
thought of this; but I am so glad. You will have some one to love
and care for you out there. Tell us all about it.' 'In the first place, she is a Roman Catholic. That's the only
objection I anticipated. But my father's change of opinion--nay,
Margaret, don't sigh.' Margaret had reason to sigh a little more before the conversation
ended. Frederick himself was Roman Catholic in fact, though not
in profession as yet. This was, then, the reason why his sympathy
in her extreme distress at her father's leaving the Church had
been so faintly expressed in his letters. She had thought it was
the carelessness of a sailor; but the truth was, that even then
he was himself inclined to give up the form of religion into
which he had been baptised, only that his opinions were tending
in exactly the opposite direction to those of his father. How
much love had to do with this change not even Frederick himself
could have told. Margaret gave up talking about this branch of
the subject at last; and, returning to the fact of the
engagement, she began to consider it in some fresh light: 'But for her sake, Fred, you surely will try and clear yourself
of the exaggerated charges brought against you, even if the
charge of mutiny itself be true. If there were to be a
court-martial, and you could find your witnesses, you might, at
any rate, show how your disobedience to authority was because
that authority was unworthily exercised.' Mr. Hale roused himself up to listen to his son's answer.