"Hush, Ralph!" said his father, in a tone which startled the boy, and warned him off forbidden ground.
Just then Sarah entered with Ralph's tea, and Captain Torrance left him in her charge.
The ladies were out, so there were no adieus, and the man had enough to think of as he strolled homeward.
"Will Ralph repeat his views to Kathleen?" he asked himself. "I wish he would. He might spare me the pain of a refusal, if—but I believe she would not refuse me. I will be honest. She shall know all of my past that one could tell to a girl. If there is a creature noble enough to devote life and fortune for the salvation of the man she loves, Kathleen is that girl, supposing she is not over-influenced. If I win her, I will be a good man for the future, and she shall not regret her choice."
John Torrance resolved, and built castles, and repeated, "I will be good and grateful for Kathleen's sake." But of gratitude to God, or the possibility of failure without His help, he neither thought nor cared.
[CHAPTER XVIII]
WOOING BY PROXY
IN three more days Ralph was dressed and lying on a couch in Kathleen's boudoir. She and Geraldine had adorned it with flowers and autumn foliage, and were sitting by him.
"You will be running about directly," said Geraldine. "Shall you not be glad?"
"Yes, but it will be horrid to go to Monk's How. So lonely!"