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THE WITNESS TO THE WILL
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said why, but she suddenly became aware of a host of unpleasant things, and the kiss he stole from her filled her with a burning shame. The heir to his father's will had not permitted frustrated desires to enter into his self-arranged scheme of things in the past ; he did not propose to do so now, at least, without showing his fangs, and he saw quite clearly that Marjorie would have none of him — more, that he was repellent to her. His mirror showed him, when he was able to visualize clearly, a form most pleasing to the biased eyes, and, vanity being strong within him, he was enraged.
' ' Perhaps you think, ' ' he sneered, as he caught the girl by the arm and held her captive, " perhaps you think that I am charitably inclined ; that, for the honor your presence lends my house, I am ready to keep and provide for you —eh?"
"I had not thought," the girl said dully.
" Hadn't thought, eh? Well, my lady, suppose you make a mighty effort and do that little thing now. It's stay here as my wife, or quit — flat. And I hold these strings — see here." Beldon exhibited a wallet. "I hold 'em, and I'll hold 'em tight. Come, Marjorie" — with a sudden change of manner and a coaxing clasp of the forcibly held waist — ' ' think it over, girlie; we'll pull together yet."
''Let me go, Beldon." The girl raised her eyes and met his, a world of unuttered reproach in their depths. "I love Edward Preble. Do I need to say more?"
"No, by thunder!" roared the infuriated youth, "but you can do a whole lot, and the first thing you can pull off is— to hike."
There isn't much that a "finished" girl can do in a big city and still maintain a certain caste, but, being
finished, Marjorie did not know that. She was hurt and a bit dazed, of course, at the thought of leaving the Hall that had been home to her from earliest infancy, but she was untried and eager, and "the future held new experiences — and Edward Preble.
As she walked down the wide drive on her exit from the Hall, for she had scorned to request a carriage or car, there was one kind word to speed her, one heart to ache for the pity of her
THE MAJOR IS STRICKEN
loneliness, and those were in the person of Terence O'Brien, her late uncle's groom. Terence had been on his annual vacation at the time of the Major's death, and had returned that day. His honest heart grieved at the loss of the kind master who had been a friend, and marveled at the forlorn state of the girl who had been the light of the Major's eyes.
She found New York a hurrying, bewildering city of strangers, this girl who had been restricted and guarded all her life, and not one of all the rushing throng turned to hold out a friendly hand to the timid girl. After