"My father did. He used to kneel by his bed like a little child every night and every morning."
She saw that he did not speak for himself, and a great wave of love and compassion for the sin-laden man stormed her heart.
"Victor," she said, tears springing to her eyes, "you must try to forgive me. I've not been what I ought to have been to you—I see that now. Whatever you have done I should have clung to you, not driven you away from me, and let you go on from sin to sin, doubting God's mercy and forgiveness. Let me do so now. We belong to each other, Victor. There can never be anybody else for either of us as long as we live. Let us go together."
She had seized his hands. The hands of both were trembling.
"Would to God you could, Fenella. But it is too late for that now. I have gone too far for you to follow me. Where I go now I must go alone."
"Don't say that."
"Wait until I have seen your father."
At that moment the maid came into the room to tell the Deemster that the Governor, having heard that he was in the house, wished to see him immediately.
Stowell was turning to go, when Fenella put a trembling hand on his shoulder and said in a whisper,
"Victor, whatever happens with my father, promise me that you will never do that."