She thought she had never before seen so kind and good a face, and she wondered that it did not seem so very old, after all, now it was so near.
"I will sit down, Rita, my dear. Sit down too. You are too tall now to stand up."
Not a human eye was looking upon them, but Rita had suddenly covered her face with her hands.
"Speak," she said, earnestly; "I remember better when I do not see."
She was talking English, just as he had done, only more slowly, and almost as if it hurt her.
"I will read the first word, dear. Then you may spell it. M-i-n-e, mine. That means a gold-mine, like ours, dear. Spell it, Rita, my darling."
"Our mine? Darling? Oh, if I could see my father!"
Murray sprung to his feet as if he were a boy. His mouth opened and closed as if he were keeping back a great shout, and the tears came pouring down over his cheeks.
"Rita! Rita! My dear little daughter! Here I am!"
"Father!"