Page:The traitor; a story of the fall of the invisible empire (IA traitorstoryoffa00dixo).pdf/140

 "They shall come!" she cried.

"Larkin," said the Judge, turning to the Carpetbagger, "I shall have to ask you to go to the telegraph office and order the troops here on a special. Ask them to protect me to-night from these assassins."

Stella's figure suddenly stiffened with incontrollable rage. She clenched her fists and sprang in front of her father screaming.

"Don't you dare insult me—by applying such epithets to my friends! If you are my father, you are a poltroon and a coward!"

"Stella, my darling!" gasped the Judge.

"Don't you call me darling! Don't you dare to speak to me again! I'll leave this house and blot your very name from my memory!"

Butler staggered back in dumb amazement and Larkin watched with a curious smile playing about the corners of his piercing eyes.

Stella stamped her foot, turned, and bounded up the stairs and into her room, slammed the door and began to scream.

The Judge stood for a moment in speechless horror. He had never crossed her imperious will before and he was utterly unprepared for her mad outburst. He loved her with all the tenderness of which his low nature was capable, and had never seen a woman in hysterics. He had therefore