He knew that he had carried things with a high hand against the young man who had really behaved very nobly toward Viola, and merited better than a summary dismissal. But he believed that he was acting in the best faith toward Viola, for it did not occur to him that Rolfe had any chance of winning her love. Her fainting spell on reading Desha’s letter of repentance had convinced him that she still loved the man who wrote it. He felt that the greatest kindness he could do his willful daughter was to help her undo the fetters she had forged in her momentary madness of despair. So he had steeled his heart to Rolfe Maxwell and sent him away by the utterance of falsehoods, against which his own native manliness revolted, but which he justified to himself because he considered them necessary for Viola’s sake. But in his uncertainty of the girl’s real sentiments he did not think it necessary to inform her at all of the young man’s visit. Carrying his authority with a high hand, he kept her locked in her own room till the next afternoon, when she sent him an imperative message. He was shocked at the change in his beautiful daughter since only yesterday, and he cried out in alarm: “Viola, are you ill?” She answered, angrily: “Ill of suspense and worry only. How dare you keep me locked up in my room like this? I demand to be released, that I may return to my husband!” “Nonsense!” “But, papa, I am in earnest. I must return to my new home. What will my husband think of my remaining away so long?” “Nothing; because he has gone away himself to Cuba, as he told you he would do.” “Gone--gone! Without one farewell word to me, his wife!” she almost shrieked. “Come, Viola, no tragedies!” her father exclaimed, sternly. “You never pretended to be in love with the young fellow, you know, nor he with you. Your marriage was a mistake, and I am going to free you from it as soon as possible.” “Papa!” wildly. “I may as well tell you I have seen Maxwell just before he started for Cuba,” continued the judge. “I showed him Desha’s letter, and told him that you fainted when you read it. He agreed with me that he did wrong to marry you, and promised that he would throw no obstacles in the way of your getting a divorce!” She answered, passionately: “I tell you I do not want a divorce. I love him, and I will remain his true, faithful wife till he comes back to me!” CHAPTER XXVI. ONLY A MONTH “When a woman will, she will And when she won’t, she won’t, And there’s an end on’t!” Judge Van Lew, with all his threats and entreaties, found it impossible to combat Viola’s resolution. She refused point-blank to apply for a divorce from Rolfe Maxwell. “Papa, he was kind to me when I did not seem to have a friend left on earth, when all my lovers had turned against me!” she said, plaintively. “You had me, Viola.”