Bildungsromans; Deception -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Mothers and daughters -- Fiction; Women authors -- Fiction
"Do? He was fairly insolent. He was furious. He told me to mind my
own business. He strode around that parlor like a madman, till I told
him Daisy had appealed to me for protection, and had told me she was
not yet married to him; but that I had seen how he registered in the
hotel. Then he calmed down a little and began to try to smooth things
over. He tried to explain that he had done that merely to protect the
girl, and that he intended to make everything right for her. He even
came to the point, before we were done, of saying that perhaps he had
been wrong in doing it, but he had followed an impulse when he wrote.
Oh, you know how a man like that could lie himself out of anything! He
even said that of course if Daisy preferred to be with me, it was all
right, but he really must see her before she slept and arrange about
his telegrams. Of course I saw through that. He knew his influence over
her!
"So I told him she had asked not to be disturbed, and that she did not
wish to see him again until she was at home with her mother and her
mother knew all. Then he began to rave at me of course but I let him
understand that I should not hesitate to call for assistance if he
made further trouble, and I fancy he did not care for publicity, so he
withdrew with what grace he could."
"And then?"
"Well, strange to say we had no further trouble with him. I had looked
up trains and found there was a very early one. Perhaps he was asleep,
although I was taking no chances. I decided to stay by till I placed
her safely in her mother's care."
"You have been wonderful!" said the mother. "I can never thank you.
And I'm glad too, that you came and told me all to-night. It has been
very hard to hear, but it was right that I should know. Only, my dear
new strong friend, I don't know what I am going to do. I am terrified
at what may yet develop. I am sure that man will not be easily shaken
off. He is probably only waiting till Daisy gets all strained up with
anxiety, as she is now, when he knows she will be wax in his hands. I
cannot believe he will give up so easily. He will know that you cannot
linger around to protect always, and unfortunately, he is not afraid of
me."
"My dear, wait until you have heard the rest of the story."
"Oh, is there more?" The mother's face showed a new terror.
She sat up tense and anxious clasping her frail hands in one another
till the knuckles showed white.
"No, dear Mrs. Sheldon, don't be frightened," went on Mary Dunlap. "I
will try to be as brief as possible, but I am sure you should know
everything."
"Oh, yes!" implored the white lipped mother.
Mary Dunlap's heart ached for her as she went on with the story:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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