By which it will be seen that Mrs. Armour had come to some wisdom by
reason of her love for Frank's wife and child.

"My son," she had said, "through the child is the surest way, believe me;
for only a mother can understand what that means, how much and how far it
goes. You are a father, but until last night you never had the flush of
that love in your veins. You stand yet only at the door of that life
which has done more to guide, save, instruct, and deepen your wife's life
than anything else, though your brother Richard--to whom you owe a debt
that you can never repay--has done much in deed. Be wise, my dear, as I
have learned a little to be since first your wife came. All might easily
have gone wrong. It has all gone well; and we, my son, have tried to do
our duty lovingly, consistently, to dear Lali and the child."

She made him promise that he would wait, that he would not try to hurry
his wife's affection for him by any spoken or insistent claim. "For,
Frank dear," she said, "you are only legally married, not morally, not as
God can bless--not yet. But I pray that what will sanctify all may come
soon, very soon, to the joy of us all. But again--and I cannot say it
too prayerfully--do not force one little claim that your marriage gave
you, but prove yourself to her, who has cause to distrust you so much.
Will you forgive your mother, my dear, for speaking to you?"

He had told her then that what she had asked he had intended as his own
course, yet what she had said would keep it in his mind always, for he
was sure it was right. Mrs. Armour had then embraced him, and they
parted. Dealing with Lali had taught them all much of the human heart
that they had never known before, and the result thereof was wisdom.