Ralph walked the room impetuously, beating the air with his hand: all at once he stopped—the cloud upon his brow cleared away—his lips parted almost with a cry.
"I tell you, brother James, this is a fraud, to which Lina's face alone is enough to give the lie! Ask Ben Benson—only ask Ben, he is truthful as the sun; he has known her from the cradle. Ben Benson told me with his own lips, that Lina's mother was dead!"
James Harrington became excited; his eye kindled.
"Did Ben Benson tell you this?"
"He did, indeed; but why waste time in guessing? Let us go home; the old fellow will help us to put this right."
James hesitated, and shrunk within himself; the look of pain came back to his face, and he answered with some constraint, that the steamer sailed for Europe on the morrow, and his passage was already taken.
Ralph looked astonished and distressed.
"Would you leave us now?" he said, reproachfully.
James remained thoughtful a moment, and then answered with a touch of mournfulness:
"No, I will remain for a little time. So long as I am wanted, it must be so."