"I had no difficulty in getting her to tell me her trouble. She trusted me at once, and when I offered my room as a refuge for the night she accepted most eagerly. Even when I told her how she was booked in the registry, she did not turn from me, as I feared she might. Instead she seemed aghast for a moment; then her loyalty to her lover made her at once attempt to excuse him. However, that did not prevent her from begging me to take her to the room immediately, before he returned from his telegraphing. She seemed to actually fear his influence upon her and to know that her only safe course was to go while he was gone." "Oh, my poor child!" moaned the mother. "She made it very plain that Mr. Keller had overpersuaded her to this marriage, and that while she could not bear to refuse him, she yet longed to wait until your consent could be obtained. Of course I advised her strongly that this was the only possible right course, and she seemed to agree with me." "Yes, Daisy is very conscientious that is she was, before this came. But she seems to be infatuated with that man! She has at this moment more faith in him than in anyone else, I believe." "Well, she was glad to get to my room then, at least," said the other woman. "She even wanted the door locked, and when I started to go down and tell Mr. Keller that she was safe and comfortable for the night with a woman, she begged me to lock the door and take the key with me!" "And yet she can say she loves him, when she cannot trust him! And at such a time! Oh, my little girl!" "Dear friend, the human heart is a curious thing, and the devil has many illusions wherewith to deceive, you know." "And did you actually go down and talk to that man? What a wonderful heaven-sent friend you proved to be!" "I did. I'm afraid I rather enjoyed the commission. You must remember I had been watching him in the train for several hours, and while he was most courteous and assiduous in caring for her, and did nothing that I could really put my finger on with which to find fault, I had acquired the same feeling toward him that you seem to have. I just could not see how that little flower of a girl could have married him. And of course when I talked with your daughter, finding out they were not married after having seen how he registered, my feelings were anything but lenient toward him." "I should think so! But oh, my little girl! What would her father have said if he could have known she was to pass through a thing like this!" "Courage, dear sister. I am sure God means something lovely to come out of all this." "How could that possibly be!" moaned the mother, "Oh, if she could have been spared any contact with a creature like that! It is so terrible to see her pass through such an experience. My little Daisy!" "Yes, but Mrs. Sheldon, think, if she did not have you in this trying time!"