"Why, father, what do you mean?" asked David in amazement. He had

heard no rumor of why his father had gone to Belden.

"Now, listen, all of you," and again he thundered on the table with his

fist. "Last summer I was persuaded, against my will, to take a strange

woman into my house. I found out to-day that my judgment then was

right. I have been imposed on--she is an imposter, an adventuress."

"Amasy, Amasy, don't be so hard on her," pleaded his wife. But the

Squire had the true huntsman's instinct--when he went out to hunt, he

went out to kill.

"The time has come," he continued, raising his voice and ignoring his

wife's pleading, "when this home is better without her."

Anna had already begun her preparation to go. She took her cloak down

from its peg and wrapped it about her without a word.

"Father, if Anna goes, I go with her," and David rose to his feet, the

very incarnation of wrath, and strode over to where Anna stood apart

from the rest. He put his arm about her protectingly, and stood there

defiant of them all.

"David, you must be mad. What, you, a son of mine, defy your father

here in the presence of your friends for that--adventuress?"

"Father, take back that word about Anna. A better woman never lived.

You--who call yourself a Christian--would you send away a friendless

girl a night like this? And for what reason? Because a few old cats

have been gossiping about her. It is unworthy of you, father; I would

not have believed it."

"So you have appointed yourself her champion, sir. No doubt she has

been trying her arts on you. Don't be a fool, David; stand aside, if

she wants to go, let her; women like her can look out for themselves;

let her go."

"Don't make me forget, sir, that you are my father. I refuse

absolutely to hear the woman I love spoken of in this way."

The rest looked on in painful silence; they seemed to be deprived of

the power of speech or action by the Squire's vehemence; the wind

howled about the house fitfully, and was still, then resumed its

wailing grief.

"And you stand there and defy me for that woman in the presence of

Kate, to whom you are as good as betrothed?"

"No, no; there is no question of an engagement between David and me,

and there never can be," said Kate, not knowing in the least what to

make of the turn that things had taken.




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