Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/307

Rh "I shouldn't go to extremes, my dear," advised the Colonel. "for your father's sake: and a little for mine."

"For yours? What do you mean, godpapa?"

"It may be that I shall have to deal with these men yet."

"Oh!" cried Daphne, aflame at once. "I thought"

"But I have your Aunt Allie to think of," the Colonel reminded her.

"But you won't" "I won't do anything because these men want me to," said the Colonel. "I won't do anything unless I have to. Come now, things may not be so bad. Of course anything might happen—I might step on a nail and get lockjaw. But I don't see why we shouldn't pay interest, as we have been doing for years. All we're afraid of is the mystery of these men's threats. Let's not get stampeded."

Daphne made a noble effort not to treat Kenneth as though he had not hurt the very depths of her soul—for that was what it amounted to. The result vastly mystified the young man. At first he thought her new manner a joke, and tried to reply in kind. But soon he sensed a real though concealed hostility.

"What have I done?" he beseeched her. "Whatever it was, I certainly didn't mean it. Tell me what it is, at least."

"It's nothing at all," replied Daphne, primly.

"But it is something," he persisted. "Why are you treating me this way?"

"I am not treating you in any especial way."

"Oh, aren't you!" he cried, ruefully. "I feel like the worm that has overslept and wasn't on hand for the early bird."

She did not condescend to smile at this.

"And you won't go riding any more"

"I would go riding if I did not happen to be very busy just now. I haven't time."

"Busy!" repeated Kenneth. "Busy at what, I should like to know!"

But talk as long as he would, he could get no further in satisfaction. Indoors Daphne took pains never to be alone with him. In the presence of her father she sat to one side, sewing. Only when directly addressed by a question did she reply very