Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 2.djvu/246

236 "I'm not crying now," pleaded she.

"But you have been—and just this minute too; and I will know what for. Come now, you shall tell me!"

"Do let me alone Ralph! remember we are not at home."

"No matter: you shall answer my question!" exclaimed her tormentor; and he attempted to extort the confession by shaking her and remorsely crushing her slight arms in the gripe of his powerful fingers.

"Don't let him treat your sister in that way," said I to Mr. Hargrave.

"Come now, Hattersley, I can't allow that," said that gentleman, stepping up to the ill-assorted couple. "You let my sister alone, if you please." And he made an effort to unclasp the ruffian's fingers from her arm, but was suddenly driven backward and nearly laid upon the floor by a violent blow in the chest accompanied with the admonition,

"Take that for your insolence!—and learn to interfere between me and mine again."