"Ralph, Ralph, this is terrible!"
"Terrible!" repeated the young man, "you should have thought how terrible before tempting that poor young creature to her ruin. The house is desolate as the grave. My mother wanders through it like a ghost; she is worn to a shadow mourning over the ruin of her child, for Lina was dear as her own child could"----
James Harrington struggled for voice; his pale features began to quiver; his lips parted; he grasped Ralph by the arm.
"Brother, brother, is it Lina who has left home?"
"Lina--yes."
James Harrington dropped into his chair without uttering a word; and, for the first time in his life, Ralph saw great tears rush to his eyes.
"Oh, my G.o.d! make me, make me grateful!" he cried, and a great shudder of joy shook his soul. "Ralph Harrington, you will never know how great a blessing your words have been to me."
Ralph stood by, amazed. The face of his brother looked like that of a glorified saint. There was no guilt in him; the young man felt this in the depths of his soul; wrong there certainly was somewhere, but not in the great-hearted man before him.
"Brother," said James, arousing himself, and reaching forth his hand, "now, tell me what this trouble is. I can listen like a man--has Lina left her home? poor child, she loved you, Ralph--what drove her away?"
"I do not know--till now"----
"You thought it was me. Shame on it, Ralph, I did not think you would believe ill of me." The tear that quivered on that young cheek, proved that at least "lost faith" had been restored to him. "Come," said James Harrington, warmly shaking the hand in his, "let us search out this good child, and save her."
"She will not be saved--she refuses to go home," answered Ralph, sadly.
"Not so, not so--have more faith, my boy. There is something here which we do not understand, but not guilt, certainly not _her_ guilt--did not your mother guide her up from the cradle almost? besides that, does she not love you with her whole heart, and that is not a little? Tell me where to find her, and I will soon tear out the heart of this mystery. I am strong now, Ralph, and feel as if mountains would be nothing in my way. Come."
And Ralph went hopefully forth with his brother.
CHAPTER LXXIV.
GENERAL HARRINGTON"S SECRET.
Harrington and Ralph stood opposite Zillah"s house, pausing for a moment"s conversation before they went in.
"No," said Ralph, earnestly, "do not ask it; I will not give even this evidence of a doubt which I never can feel again. Go yourself, and see her alone. Learn, if possible, by what evil influence she has been wiled from her home. If she has fled to escape the importunity of my love, tell her to fear it no more; I will leave the country--do anything rather than stand in the way of her return to my mother."
Harrington wrung the hand which Ralph had in his earnestness extended.
"Wait at the hotel," he said; "in an hour expect me with news. I will not leave the poor child till her secret is mine. Be hopeful, Ralph, for I tell you Lina is an honest, good girl, and a little time will make it all clear."
"G.o.d grant that we do not deceive ourselves!" said Ralph, hopefully. "I will wait for you, but it will be a terrible hour, James."
"But such hours go by like the rest," answered Harrington, with a grave smile; "you will learn this in time."
With these words, James Harrington crossed the street, and entered Zillah"s house.
Ralph watched him till the door closed, and then walked slowly back to the hotel.
Harrington was right--such hours do go by like the rest; those that are tear-laden toil on a little slower than such as are bright with smiles, but the eternity which crowds close upon them receives both alike, and they float away into the past, mistily together.
In less than the given time, James Harrington came back, but his step was heavy as he mounted the stairs, and a look of haggard trouble hung upon his brow. Ralph felt his breath come painfully; he dared not speak, for never in his life had he felt such awe of the man before him. At length he drew close to James, and whispered:
"One word, only one: is she lost?"
"Ralph" said Harrington, drawing a hand across his forehead once or twice, as if to sweep away some pain that ached there, "I am at a loss what to say!"
Ralph turned white and drew back.
"No, no, it is not as you think. The sweet girl is blameless as the angels, but she is bound by promises and obligations that even I cannot feel free to fling aside: yet this secrecy can only end in pain. It is my duty, at any risk, to free her name from reproach. Ralph, I have something very distressing to tell you, and it must be told."
"If Lina is innocent, if she loves me, all else is nothing!" answered Ralph, with enthusiasm. "Oh, James, you have made a man of me once more!"
"This hopefulness pains me, Ralph."
"How? Did you not charge me to keep hopeful? did you not tell me that Lina was blameless? While I can respect, love--nay, adore her--what else has the power to wound me?"
James Harrington shrank back, and his face flushed.
"Hush! hush! these words are too ardent--they wound, they repulse me! If you guessed all that I know, your own heart would recoil from them."
"Guessed all that you know!--well, speak out. It must be something terrible, indeed, if it prevents me loving her, after what you have already said."
James Harrington hesitated; looked wistfully at the eager face turned full of inquiry to his, and at last said, in a low, almost solemn voice:
"Ralph, Lina is your father"s daughter."
"My father"s daughter?" cried Ralph, aghast; "my father"s daughter!"
"He told her so with his own lips, binding her by a promise not to reveal the secret to us. Poor thing, it was too weighty for her strength; she grew wild under it and fled to the woman you saw, who claims to be her mother."
"Claims to be her mother! That woman--it is false!"
"I fear not, Ralph! I myself recognized that woman as a beautiful slave whom your father owned when my own poor mother died. She has changed but"----
"A slave--Lina, the child of a slave? I tell you it is false; the dews of heaven are not more pure than the blood that fills those blue veins; there is some fraud here!" cried Ralph, impetuously.
"I fear not. She is certain of it; this cruel conviction is killing her.
But for her feeble state, I never could have won her secret. Poor child, poor child, what can be done for her?"
Ralph walked the room impetuously, beating the air with his hand: all at once he stopped--the cloud upon his brow cleared away--his lips parted almost with a cry.
"I tell you, brother James, this is a fraud, to which Lina"s face alone is enough to give the lie! Ask Ben Benson--only ask Ben, he is truthful as the sun; he has known her from the cradle. Ben Benson told me with his own lips, that Lina"s mother was dead!"
James Harrington became excited; his eye kindled.
"Did Ben Benson tell you this?"