"I cannot, dear child. Dry your eyes. We shall meet again by-and-by."
She put her handkerchief to her eyes but her tears flowed fast, and she sat by the grave and sobbed as if her heart was breaking.
"Listen to me, Edith," said Basil, sitting beside her and taking her hand. "If baby angel was a long, long way from here, and was in trouble and cried for you to come to her, would you not go to help her?"
"Yes, I would, I would; and they would take me to her."
"I am sure they would, for you have good parents my dear. You told me when I first met you here that I had an angel, and that you were glad. Edith, my dear, my angel is calling to me to come and help her in her trouble. Would it not be very wrong for me to say, 'No, I will not come; I do not care for your trouble?'"
"It would be wicked."
"Yes, dear, it would be wicked, and I should not deserve your love if I acted so. When I first saw her she was a little girl like you; you reminded me of her, and I loved you because of that, and loved you better afterwards because of yourself. I shall always love you, Edith; I shall never, never forget you."
She threw her arms round his neck and lay in his embrace, sobbing more quietly.
"You can do something for me, Edith, that will fix you in my heart for ever."
"Can I? Tell me, and I will do it."