"You are very hard upon me, madam."
"I think I have a right to be hard upon you, sir. You have tried your best to rob me of my son."
"But he shan't do it, mother," put in Jack warmly.
"No, Jack, he'll never be able to do that—now," answered Mrs. Ruthven significantly. And then she added, "See to it, Ben, that he does not get away. I wish to speak to Jack in private."
"He shan't git away from Old Ben, nohow," answered the faithful negro.
Mrs. Ruthven led Jack into the parlor and closed the door carefully.
"My boy, I have a great surprise for you," she began. "Do you think you can bear it?"
"What surprise, mother?" he asked quickly.
"Colonel Stanton is here, wounded. He has told me something of his past, and it concerns you."
"Me?"