k for friendship and
companionship, confidence, consolation in your sorrows, sympathy with
your success. Beside all that, the sexual love sinks into nothing."

"It may be. The passion arises for the purposes of nature, and dies away
when those purposes are fulfilled. It seems to me that the recollection
of it must be the surest and tenderest tie between husband and wife; and
there remains for them, then, the fruit of their love, the children whom
it is their blessed duty to rear till they are of fit age to go into the
world and continue the endless cycle."

There was a pause, while Major Forsyth racked his brain for some
apposite remark; but the conversation had run out of his depth.

Colonel Parsons at last got up and put his hands on Jamie's shoulders.

"And can't you bring yourself to marry that poor girl, when you think of
the terrible unhappiness she suffers?"

James shook his head.

"You were willing to sacrifice your life for a mere stranger, and cannot
you sacrifice yourself for Mary, who has loved you long and tenderly,
and unselfishly?"

"I would willingly risk my life if she were in danger. But you ask
more."

Colonel Parsons was silent for a little, looking into his son's eyes.
Then he spoke with trembling voice.

"I think you love me, James. I've always tried to be a good father to
you; and God knows I've done all I could to make you happy. If I did
wrong in letting you become engaged, I beg your pardon. No; let me go
on." This he said in answer to Jamie's movement of affectionate protest.
"I don't say it to reproach you, but your mother and I have denied
ourselves in all we could so that you should be happy and comfortable.
It's been a pleasure to us, for we love you with all our hearts. You
know what happened to me when I left the army. I told you years ago of
the awful disgrace I suffered. I could never have lived except for my
trust in God and my trust in you. I looked to you to regain the honour
which I had lost. Ah! you don't know how anxiously I watched you, and
the joy with which I said to myself, 'There is a good and honourable
man.' And now you want to stain that honour. Oh, James, James! I'm old,
and I can't live long. If you love me, if you think you have cause for
gratitude to me, do this one little thing I ask you! For my sake, my
dear, keep your word to Mary Clibborn."

"You're asking me to do something immoral, father."

Then Colonel Parsons helplessly dropped his hands from Jam