"If your father continues his permission to that extent?"
"Oh, he will; papa is so good."
Is it an hallucination she is laboring under, thought John; or is it the will of a pure heart, feebly speaking? He was still perplexed; but his hopes were not deserting him.
"Mr. Winthrope," she said, after a silent spell, "will you go with Miss Barton on Sunday to her home, and act for me in what I had planned to do before I took ill?"
"Indeed, I shall be glad to accompany her, and shall do anything you wish," he answered.
"I had planned to do so much for the poor in Miss Barton's district," she continued. "I brought her here to be my companion and my aid—such a good girl she is—but I cannot do anything now, unless you will help. Will you?"
"I will, willingly," he responded, wonderingly.
"When I recover I shall enlist you in my service; we can do so much good for those distressed people."
"Nothing would please me better than to help you in this work."
"Then, you and Miss Barton may begin it now; I shall join you when I have recovered."