“All but mother.  You come next to my mother.  Oh, it is hard that I must be separated from the two I love best!”

For a moment she sobbed aloud.

“You are only a young girl now, but some day you will be a woman, and I hope and believe a very noble woman.  Until then we shall be separated, but when you are grown I shall see you again, if God spares my life.  Peculiar and unfortunate circumstances surround you; there are trials ahead of you, my darling, and I wish I could shield you from them, but it seems impossible, and I can only leave you in God’s hands praying continually for you.  You say you love me nest to your mother.  All I ask is, that you will allow no one else, no new friend, to take my place.  When I see you again, years hence, I shall hope to hear you repeat those words, ‘next to my mother.’  Far away in the midst of Hindustan my thoughts and hopes will travel back and centre in my white dove.  Oh, child! my heart is bound to you for ever.”

He drew her head to his shoulder, and held her close, and as in the church when kneeling before the altar she heard whispers which only God interpreted.

Mrs. Lindsay came back equipped for her journey, and Mr. Hargrove entered at the same moment, but neither spoke.  At length, fully aware of their presence, the young missionary raised his head, and, placing his hand under Regina’s chin, looked long at the spirituelle beautiful face, as if he wished to photograph every feature on his memory.  Without removing his eyes, he said: 

“Uncle, take care of her always.  She is very dear to me.  Keep her just as she is, in soul ‘unspotted from the world.’”

Then his lips quivered, and in a tremulous voice he added: 

“God bless you, my darling!  My pure lovely dove.”

He kissed her, rose instantly, and left the room.

Mrs. Lindsay came to the lounge, and while the tears rolled over her cheeks she said tenderly: 

“My dear child, it seems unkind to desert you in your crippled condition, but I feel assured Peyton and Hannah will nurse you faithfully; and every moment that I can be with Douglass seems doubly precious now.”

“Do you think I would keep you even if I could from him?  Oh! don’t you wish we were going with him to India?”

“Indeed I do, from the depths of my soul.  What shall we do without our Bishop?”

Bending over the girl the mother wept unrestrainedly, but Mr. Hargrove called from the threshold: 

“Come, Elise.”

As Mrs. Lindsay turned to leave the room, she beckoned to Hannah.

“Carry her upstairs and undress her; and if she suffers much pain, don’t fail to send for the doctor.”

A white image of hopeless misery, Regina lay listening till the sound of departing steps became inaudible, and when Hannah left the room the girl groaned aloud in the excess of her grief: 

“I did not even say good-bye.  I did not once thank him for all he did for me in the storm!  And now I know, I feel I shall never see him again!  Oh, Douglass!”