Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/286

276 clenched. "Quite right. The impertinence! the—the—— Oh! I hope father struck hard. What does Lucy say? Is she not angry—very, very——"

"Of course, Lucy never thought of it," Mrs. Allison said; "I was ashamed to have to tell her. But she was so excited at what she considered your father's cruelty that I felt I ought to explain it. Of course, she saw at once that he was justified."

"I will go to her," Virginia said. "How she must hate that black beast! and she, engaged to George, to be insulted so!"

She found her sister sitting looking out of the window, her face flushed and her eyes shining. She flung her arms about her. "Lucy, dearest! I am so sorry. The beast! how dared he! Just because you were a little kind to him."

Lucy put her aside.

"Don't crush me; it's too hot," she said calmly.

"I do not wonder you are angry," Virginia cried. "Isn't it well papa was here to whip him out?"

Lucy sprang to her feet. She began walking up and down.