I'm plenty old enough to be her
father, Hazel Thorne's going to let me act by her like one, and stand by
her through thick and thin, in spite of all that the world may say,
including you, Miss Lambent." He spoke proudly, as he drew Hazel closer
to his breast, and stood there softly stroking her hair, with so frank
and honest a light shining out of his eyes that it brightened the whole
man.

"Sir!" exclaimed Rebecca.

"Madam!" he cried, "I don't want to be rude; but, as your company can't
be pleasant to Miss Hazel Thorne, I'd take it kindly if you'd go."

"And I was ready to forget my position and marry a man like this,"
muttered Rebecca as she walked down to the gate. "Oh, that creature!
She came upon Plumton like a curse."

"Betsey, my dear," said Mr William Forth Burge, speaking to his sister,
but speaking at Hazel, "you and me never had anything kept from one
another, and please God we never will, so I'll tell you. I've been
asking Miss Hazel Thorne here to be my wife."

"Yes, Bill dear, I know--I know," sobbed little Miss Burge.

"And while I've been asking her, it came over me like that I was wrong
to ask her, and that it wouldn't be natural and right."

"Oh, Bill dear!"

"She's been so good and tender, and kind and sensible, that it's been
like taking the scales from before my eyes, and been a sort of lesson to
me; and somehow, my dear, I feel as if I was a different sort of man to
what I was before. I'm not a speaker, and I can't express myself as I
should like to; but what I want to say is, that I feel as if I was more
of a man and a bit wiser than I was."

"Oh, Bill dear!"

"I'm getting on fast for fifty, Betsey dear, and Miss Thorne here--I
should like to say Hazel Thorne here--is only two-and-twenty or
thereabouts, and she's going to be like our own child from now, if she
will, and we're going to try and keep away troubles for the future till
she wants to go away. And now we won't say any more about it, but let
things settle down. Stop a minute, though, Hazel Thorne, my dear;
you've made me a gentleman, and we shall be friends."

For answer Hazel left Miss Burge, who had been sitting by her with her
arm round her waist, and, placing her hand in his, she looked him full
in the eyes, seeing no longer the homeliness of the man, hearing no more
his illiterate speech, but gazing as it were straight into his simple
honest kindly heart. She hesitated for a moment, and then, reaching up
she kiss