er, that's all over
and done with and I'll do the best I can to atone for it. So you won't
marry your minister because your father was not a good man, Lynde?
Well, I don't suppose he was a very good man--a man who makes his
wife's life a hell, even in a refined way, isn't exactly a saint, to
my way of thinking. But that's the worst that could be said of him and
it doesn't entail any indelible disgrace on his family, I suppose. I
am not your father, Lynde."

"Not my father?" Lynde echoed the words blankly.

"No. Your father was your mother's first husband. She never told you
of him. When I said he made her life a hell, I said the truth, no
more, no less. I had loved your mother ever since I was a boy, Lynde.
But she was far above me in station and I never dreamed it was
possible to win her love. She married James Ashley. He was a
gentleman, so called--and he didn't kick or beat her. Oh no, he just
tormented her refined womanhood to the verge of frenzy, that was all.
He died when you were a baby. And a year later I found out your mother
could love me, rough sailor and all as I was. I married her and
brought her here. We had fifteen years of happiness together. I'm not
a good man--but I made your mother happy in spite of her wrecked
health and her dark memories. It was her wish that you should be known
as my daughter, but under the present circumstances I know she would
wish that you should be told the truth. Marry your man, Lynde, and go
away with him. Emily will go with you if you like. I'm going back to
the sea. I've been hankering for it ever since your mother died. I'll
go out of your life. There, don't cry--I hate to see a woman cry. Mr.
Douglas, I'll leave you to dry her tears and I'll go up to the house
and have a talk with Harmon."

When Captain Anthony had disappeared behind the Point, Alan turned to
Lynde. She was sobbing softly and her face was wet with tears. Alan
drew her head down on his shoulder.

"Sweetheart, the dark past is all put by. Our future begins with
promise. All is well with us, dear Lynde."

Like a child, she put her arms about his neck and their lips met.

Marcella's Reward

Dr. Clark shook his head gravely. "She is not improving as fast as I
should like to see," he said. "In fact--er--she seems to have gone
backward the past week. You must send her to the country, Miss
Langley. The heat here is too trying for her."

Dr. Clark might as well have said, "You must send her to th