“O, Mr. Wolf! Why did you come here?” exclaimed she; “my father is terribly incensed against you.” “I have only done what I thought was right, Miss Grace,” I replied. “I did not even know that Tommy was hurt, till a few moments ago.” “Father says you were the cause of it.” “I was not--at least, not intentionally.” “I know you were not. Whatever happens, Mr. Wolf, we shall be friends.” To my astonishment she extended her pretty, white hand, and I took it. It was her good by to me. “I know you would not do any wrong, Mr. Wolf,” she continued; “and I wish Tommy was like you.” She gently shook my hand, and left the room. Whatever her father thought, she understood the situation without any explanation. She had hardly left the room before her father came in. He looked ugly and remorseless, as he had never before been to me. “Have you the impudence to come here, after what has happened, Wolf?” said he, with a heavy frown. “I hope you will not consider it impudence, sir. I did not know that Tommy was hurt till a little while ago,” I replied, as meekly as the occasion required. “I am very sorry indeed that anything has happened.” “Don’t be a hypocrite, Wolf!” “I am not, sir; I am truly sorry that Tommy was hurt.” “You are the cause of all this; and if you had broken his leg yourself, you would not have been more to blame.” “You have always been very kind to me, and you cannot understand the matter, or you would not say that.” “I understand it very well. I think, after all I have done for you, I had a right to expect something better from you. You insisted upon crossing and vexing Tommy.” “He was very unreasonable, and I could not submit any longer. I paid my fare in the cars, and there was no other way for me to get home.” “That’s enough. You needn’t attempt to explain it. Perhaps Tommy was wrong; I don’t say that he was not. But it was not for you to make trouble.” “I don’t think I made it, sir.” “I think you did. No more words. You have abused my good nature. I don’t want to see you again. You and your father are both discharged, and the sooner you leave Middleport, the better you will suit me.” I afterwards ascertained that Tommy had insisted, even in the midst of his agony, that my father and I should be immediately discharged. Grace told me this when I met her on the lake a few weeks later in the season. She said it to defend her father, who, arbitrary as he was, had some well-defined ideas of justice.