’Oh，papa，dotellme，’sheexclaimed，throwingherarmsroundhim，andlookingintohisface；’whatisitheisgoingtodo？Whatisitallabout？Isthereany——any——any——’shedidn’twellknowwhatwordtouse——’anydanger？’
’Danger，mydear，whatsortofdanger？’
’Dangertoyou，dangeroftrouble，andofloss，andof——
Oh，papa，whyhaven’tyoutoldmeofallthisbefore？’
MrHardingwasnotthemantojudgeharshlyofanyone，muchlessofthedaughterwhomhenowlovedbetterthananylivingcreature；butstillhedidjudgeherwronglyatthismoment。HeknewthatshelovedJohnBold；hefullysympathisedinheraffection；dayafterdayhethoughtmoreofthematter，and，withthetendercareofalovingfather，triedtoarrangeinhisownmindhowmattersmightbesomanagedthathisdaughter’sheartshouldnotbemadethesacrificetothedisputewhichwaslikelytoexistbetweenhimandBold。Now，whenshespoketohimforthefirsttimeonthesubject，itwasnaturalthatheshouldthinkmoreofherthanofhimself，andthatheshouldimaginethatherowncares，andnothis，weretroublingher。