"Yes, here."

"What for?"

"To marry him," said Gideon, gently. "There's no time to lose."

"To MARRY him?"

"He wishes it."

"But say--oh, come, now," said Hamlin confidentially, leaning back
with his hands on the top of a chair. "Ain't this playing it a
little--just a LITTLE--too low down? Of course you mean well, and
all that; but come, now, say--couldn't you just let up on him
there? Why, she"--Hamlin softly closed the door--"she's got no
character."

"The more reason he should give her one."

A cynical knowledge of matrimony imparted to him by the wives of
others evidently colored Mr. Hamlin's views. "Well, perhaps it's
all the same if he's going to die. But isn't it rather rough on
HER? I don't know," he added, reflectively; "she was sniveling
round here a little while ago, until I sent her away."

"You sent her away!" echoed Gideon.

"I did."

"Why?"