Page:What Maisie Knew (Chicago & New York, Herbert S. Stone & Co., 1897).djvu/200

186 Sir Claude broke into a laugh. "I told her he was the Baron."

Ida stared; she rose so superior that she was colossal. "You 're too utterly loathsome," she then ejaculated. "Be off!" she repeated to her daughter.

Maisie started, moved backward and, looking at Sir Claude, "Only for a moment," she said to him in her bewilderment.

But he was too angry to heed her—too angry with his wife; as she turned away she heard his anger break out. "You damned old b!" She could n't quite hear all. But it was enough, it was too much: she fled before it, rushing even to a stranger in her terror of such a change of tone.

 XVI

she met the Captain's light blue eyes the greatest wonder occurred: she felt a sudden relief at finding them reply with anxiety to the horror in her face. "What in the world has he done?" He put it all on Sir Claude.

"He has called her a damned old brute!" She could n't help bringing that out. 