"
"Lord Ralles!" I cried.
"Yes."
"I don't understand," I exclaimed.
"Why, Lord Ralles has been--has been--oh, he's threatened that if I
wouldn't--that--"
"You mean he--?" I began, and then stopped, for I couldn't believe my
ears.
"Oh," she burst out, "of course you couldn't understand, and you
probably despise me already, but if you knew how I scorn myself, Mr.
Gordon, and what I have endured from that man, you would only pity
me."
Light broke on me suddenly. "Do you mean, Miss Cullen," I cried
hotly, "that he's been cad enough to force his attentions upon you by
threats?"
"Yes. First he made me endure him because he was going to help us, and
from the moment the robbery was done, he has been threatening to tell.
Oh, how I have suffered!"
Then I said a very silly thing. "Miss Cullen," I groaned, "I'd give
anything if I were only your brother." For the moment I really meant
it.
"I haven't dared to tell any of them," she explained, "because I knew
they would resent it and make Lord Ralles angry, and then he would
tell, and so ruin papa. It seemed such a little thing to bear for his
sake, but, oh, it's been--suppose you despise me!"
"I never dreamed of despising you," I said. "I only thought, of
course--seeing what I did--and--that you were fond--No--that is--I
mean--well--The beast!" I couldn't help exclaiming.
"Oh," said Madge, blushing, and stammering breathlessly, "you mustn't
think--there was really--you happened to--usually I managed to
keep with papa or my brothers, or else run away, as I did when he
interrupted my letter-writing--when you thought we had--but it was
nothing of the--I kept away just--but the night of the robbery I
forgot, and on the trail his mule blocked the path.
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