The Bow of Orange Ribbon | Page 6

as you ken."
"I remember. Two went to the Virginia Colony"--
"To Norfolk,--tobacco brokers, and making money. My son
Alexander--a wise lad--went to Boston, and is in the African trade. I
may say that they are all honest, pious men, without wishing to be
martyrs for honesty and piety, which, indeed, in these days is
mercifully not called for. As for Neil, he's our last bairn; and his mother
and I would fain keep him near us. Katherine would be a welcome
daughter to our auld age, and weel loved, and much made o'; and I hope
baith Madam Van Heemskirk and yoursel' will think with us."
"We have said we would like the marriage. It is the truth. But, look
now, Katherine shall not come any more to your house at this time, not
while English soldiers come and go there; for I will not have her speak
to one: they are no good for us."
"That is right for you, but not for me. My wife was a Gordon, and we
couldn't but offer our house to a cousin in a strange country. And you'll
find few better men than Col. Nigel Gordon; as for his wife, she's a fine
English leddy, and I hae little knowledge anent such women. But a Scot
canna kithe a kindness; if I gie Colonel Gordon a share o' my house, I
must e'en show a sort o' hospitality to his friends and visitors. And the
colonel's wife is much thought o', in the regiment and oot o' it. She has
a sight o' vera good company,--young officers and bonnie leddies, and
some o' the vera best o' our ain people."
"There it is. I want not my daughters to learn new ways. There are the
Van Voorts: they began to dine and dance at the governor's house, and
then they went to the English Church."

"They were Lutherans to begin wi', Joris."
"My Lysbet is the finest lady in the whole land: let her daughters walk
in her steps. That is what I want. But Neil can come here; I will make
him welcome, and a good girl is to be courted on her father's hearth.
Now, there is enough said, and also there is some one coming."
"It will be Neil and Bram;" and, as the words were spoken, the young
men entered.
[Illustration: Neil and Bram]
"Again you are late, Bram;" and the father looked curiously in his son's
face. It was like looking back upon his own youth; for Bram Van
Heemskirk had all the physical traits of his father, his great size, his
commanding presence and winning address, his large eyes, his deep,
sonorous voice and slow speech. He was well dressed in light-coloured
broadcloth; but Neil Semple wore a coat and breeches of black velvet,
with a long satin vest, and fine small ruffles. He was tall and swarthy,
and had a pointed, rather sombre face. Without speaking much in the
way of conversation, he left an impression always of intellectual
adroitness,--a young man of whom people expected a successful career.
With the advent of Bram and Neil, the consultation ended. The elder,
grumbling at the chill and mist, wrapped himself in his plaid, and
leaning on his son's arm, cautiously picked his way home by the light
of a lantern. Bram drew his chair to the hearth, and sat silently waiting
for any question his father might wish to ask. But Van Heemskirk was
not inclined to talk. He put aside his pipe, nodded gravely to his son,
and went thoughtfully upstairs. At the closed door of his daughters'
room, he stood still a moment. There was a murmur of conversation
within it, and a ripple of quickly smothered laughter. How well his soul
could see the child, with her white, small hands over her mouth, and
her bright hair scattered upon the white pillow!
"_Ach, mijn kind, mijn kind! Mijn liefste kind!_" he whispered. "God
Almighty keep thee from sin and sorrow!"

[Illustration: Tail-piece]
[Illustration: Chapter heading]

II.
_"To be a sweetness more desired than spring,-- This is the flower of
life."_
Joris Van Heemskirk had not thought of prayer; but, in his vague fear
and apprehension, his soul beat at his lips, and its natural language had
been that appeal at his daughter's closed door. For Semple's words had
been like a hand lifting the curtain in a dark room: only a clouded and
uncertain light had been thrown, but in it even familiar objects looked
portentous. In these days, the tendency is to tone down and to
assimilate, to deprecate every thing positive and demonstrative. But
Joris lived when the great motives of humanity stood out sharp and
bold, and surrounded by a religious halo.
Many of his people had begun to associate