lliam
Bradford, dost thou to-day love me as thou couldst have loved Alice
Carpenter who flouted thee and married Edward Southworth instead? Nay,
now, them darest not deny that thou dost love her still!"

"Peace, woman!" exclaimed Bradford raising his face, stern and pale as
his wife had seldom seen it, and then as he marked her fragile features
and woe-begone expression his tone changed to a gentle one. "Nay,
Dorothy, thou wrongest thyself and me. I told thee of certain passages,
past before I knew thee, because I would have no secret between my wife
and me, and it is ill-done of thee to use my confidence as a weapon
against me. And again thou wrongest me grievously; Edward Southworth's
wife is naught to us; we twain are made one, and our lives are to run in
the one channel while both shall last. It is for me to shape and hew
that channel, and for thee to see that its waters run clear and sweet,
and, if you will, to plant posies on the banks. Let us never speak again
of these matters, Dorothy, but rather turn our minds to making a fair
home of the place whither God hath brought us, and doing our best by
each other. Trust me, wife, thou shalt never have cause to complain for
lack of aught I can win for thee or do for thee. Nay, Dorothy, my wife,
weep not so bitterly!"

"Master Bradford, are you within?" asked John Howland's voice outside
the door.

"Ay. What is thy errand, John?"

"The governor prays you to attend a Council convened in the great
cabin."

"I will come," and laying his hand tenderly yet solemnly upon the bowed
head of his wife Bradford murmured,--

"God help thee, Dorothy, God help us both!" and without waiting for a
reply so left her.

In the cabin he found the principal men of the company seated around a
table covered with charts, scrolls, and instruments of various sorts.
Standish with a brief nod made room for the new-comer, and Carver in his
measured tones explained: "Some of us were talking with Master Jones
upon the question of seating ourselves by yonder river as he strongly
adviseth, and I thought it best, Master Bradford, to call a general
Council and settle the matter out of hand. Here are such charts as the
Mayflower saileth by, and here is Master Smith's maps whereon we find
this bay, and much of the coast beyond, laid fairly down. Master Hopkins
counseleth a place called Agawam[2] some twenty leagues to the
northward, whereof he hath heard as a good harbor and fishing ground.
Others