"So I told him. I couldn't tell him less."

"And, pray, could you tell him more? " Marian
gasped in her distress. " What in the world is he
to us? You bring out such a thing as that this
way?"

They faced each other the tears were in Mar
ian's eyes. Kate watched them there a moment and
then said: " I had thought it well over over and
over. But you needn't feel injured. I'm not going.
He won't have me."

Her companion still panted it took time to sub
side. " Well, _I_ wouldn't have you wouldn't re
ceive you at all, I can assure you if he had made
you any other answer. I do feel injured at your
having been willing. If you were to go to papa,
my dear, you would have to stop coming to me."
Marian put it thus, indefinably, as a picture of priva
tion from which her companion might shrink. Such
were the threats she could complacently make, could
think herself masterful for making. " But if he
won't take you," she continued, " he shows at least
his sharpness."

Marian had always her views of sharpness; she
was, as her sister privately commented, great on
it. But Kate had her refuge from irritation. " He
won't take me," she simply repeated. " But he
believes, like you, in Aunt Maud. He threatens
me with his curse if I leave her."

"So you won t? " As the girl at first said noth
ing her companion caught at it. " You won t, of

[[46]]

p045 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p046w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p047

v?