"Oh, madam, you are too kind, I am sure you know what I mean; it is your excessive kindness that permits the visits of a foolish boy--wearying, I am sure, to a lady so accustomed to the world. I will ask you to forbid those visits. Do you hear me?" he cried shrilly, pounding the gravel with his cane. "Gad-a-mercy! Do you hear me? You will forbid his visits!" "You are not very polite, Mr. Old Gentleman," said David thoughtfully. "David!" Helena protested. Benjamin Wright, looking down at the little figure planted in front of her, seemed to see him for the first time. "Who is this! Your child?" "A little boy who is visiting me," she said. "David, run away." Benjamin Wright made a sneering gesture. "No, no; don't dismiss him on my account. But that a child should visit you is rather remarkable. I should think his parents--" "Hush!" she broke in violently, "Go, David, go!" As the child went sulkily back to the garden, she turned upon her visitor. "How dare you! Dr. Lavendar brought him to me; I will not hear another word! And--and I don't know what you mean, anyhow. You are a cruel old man; what have I ever done to you? I have never asked your grandson to come here. I don't want him. I have told him so. And I never asked you!" Benjamin Wright cackled. "No; I have not been so far honored. I admit that. You have kept us all at arm's length,--except my boy." Then, bending his fierce brows on her, he added, "But what does Lavendar mean by sending a child--to you? What's he thinking of? Except, of course, he never had any sense. Old Chester is indeed a foolish place. Well, madam, you will, I know, _protect yourself,_ by forbidding my grandson to further inflict his company upon you? And I will remove my own company, which is doubtless tiresome to you." He bowed again with contemptuous ceremony, and turned away. The color had dropped out of Helena's face; she was trembling very much. With a confused impulse she called to him, and even ran after him for a few steps down the path. He turned and waited for her. She came up to him, her breath broken with haste and fear. "Mr. Wright, you won't--" Her face trembled with dismay. In her fright she put her hand on his arm and shook it; "you won't--?" As he looked into her stricken eyes, his own suddenly softened. "Why--" he said, and paused; then struck the ground with his stick sharply. "There, there; I understand. You think I'll tell? Gad-a-mercy, madam, I am a gentleman. And my boy Sam doesn't interest you? Yes, yes; I see that now. Why, perhaps I've been a trifle harsh? I shall say nothing to Lavendar, or anybody else." She put her hands over her face, and he heard a broken sound. Instantly he reddened to his ears.