Page:Hard-pan; a story of bonanza fortunes (IA hardpanbonanza00bonnrich).pdf/170

158 innocence of her point of view, he met the look shamefacedly, and in an instant she guessed what he had suspected. In one terrible moment, illuminated with a blasting flash of memory, she understood his attitude in the past, and heard again the words that had puzzled and surprised her. Horror and despair seemed to choke her. She drew away from him, her eyes full of tragic accusation, murmuring almost under her breath:

"You—that I believed in, and trusted, and loved!"

"I was a fool—a brute! I know it. All I can say is to ask you to forgive me."

"I can't forgive—or forget. Never—never!"

He tried again to take her hands, but she drew back from him with what seemed a fierce repugnance, and cried wildly:

"Go—you and my father, what have you done to me? I can't forgive him, either! How can I? You 've dragged me down, between you. You 've destroyed me and broken my heart."

"Viola," he cried desperately, "listen to me. You don't know my side. Listen to me while I tell you."

"There 's nothing to say. I don't want to hear. I know enough. Go—go away from me! Oh, my father! My poor father! How could you! How could you!"