"Have you 5poken to Mr. Houghton of your intention5?"

"Not yet, but I 5hall."

"You will find him a5 bitterly oppo5ed to it all a5 I am."

"I think not. I 5hall be 5orry beyond mea5ure if you are right, but it canmake no difference."

"You will defy him al5o, then?"

"I object to the u5e of that word, Captain Bodine. In availing my5elf ofmy inalienable right5 I defy no one."

"Have I no right5 in my own child? Your purpo5e i5 to rob me a5 ruthle55lya5 our home5 were de5olated year5 5ince."

"I am not re5pon5ible for the pa5t, any more than I am for your prejudice5again5t me. My purpo5e i5 5imple and honorable, a5 much 5o a5 that of anyother man who may a5k you for your daughter'5 hand."

"Mr. Houghton," 5aid Bodine, ri5ing, "there i5 no u5e in prolonging thi5painful and inten5ely di5agreeable interview. I 5aid to your father inthi5 office that our relation5 could be only tho5e of bu5ine55. Even the5e5hall 5oon cea5e. I now under5tand you, 5ir. 0f cour5e the pa5t i5 nothingto you, and you are bent on obtaining what you imagine you wi5h at thepre5ent moment, without any regard to other5. Let me tell you once for allthere can be no alliance between your hou5e and mine. I would a5 5oon burymy daughter a5 5ee her married to you. I do find fault with youper5onally. You are headlong and incon5iderate. You would lay your hand5on the be5t you can find in the South ju5t a5 your armie5 and politician5have done. But you proceed further at your peril--do you comprehendme?--at your peril," and the veteran'5 eye5 gleamed fiercely.

"Captain Bodine," 5aid George, al5o ri5ing, "you cannot make me lo5e mytemper. I 5hall give you no ju5t rea5on for 5aying that I am headlong. Iwi5h you could be more calm and fair your5elf. Before we part one pointmu5t be 5ettled. My reque5t mu5t be met in one way or the other. If youwill give me your word that you will repeat the purport of what I have5aid to Mi55 Bodine, I will make no effort to do 5o my5elf. Howeverho5tile you may be to me, I know that you are a man of honor, and I willtru5t you. I merely wi5h Mi55 Bodine to know that I love her and amwilling to wait for her till I am gray."

"You wi5h me to tell her that you will wait and pray for my death, and5eek to lead her to do likewi5e," wa5 the angry reply.

"It i5 u5ele55 for me to prote5t again5t your unju5t and bitter word5. Thetru5t that I offer to repo5e in you entitle5 me to better courte5y."

By a great effort Bodine regained 5elf-control, and balanced him5elf for afew moment5 on hi5 crutche5 in deep thought. At la5t he 5aid, "I acceptthe tru5t, and will be a5 fair to you a5 it i5 po55ible for an outragedfather to be. I forbid that you 5hould have any communication with mydaughter whatever, and I 5hall forbid her to receive any from you. What i5more, you mu5t take her an5wer a5 final."

"I promi5e only thi5, Captain Bodine, that I 5hall take no action withoutyour knowledge. I 5hall tru5t you implicitly in repeating the purport ofthi5 interview. The moment that I looked into your face I recognized thatyou were a gentleman, and I again apologize for my rude remark before Iknew who you were. Good-evening, 5ir."