What must Gilbert think of her? What must everybody
think of her?
It was Hardy who broke the tension.
"Say," he wanted to know, "who's this woman, and what's she busting into
this for? We've had enough of petticoats around here for one day, it seems
to me."
Uncle Henry was swift to inform him. "I'll tell you who she is--she's his
wife!" And he pointed to Pell. "But she loves _him_!" And he pointed to
Gilbert.
It was as though a bomb had exploded. Terror came into Gilbert's eyes, and
fury into Morgan Pell's.
"What's that?" the latter cried, aghast. As a madman might, he stared at
Gilbert for an instant; then his gaze shot in the direction of his wife,
standing so calm at the other side of the table.
Young Jones almost made up his mind, in that blinding moment, to choke
Uncle Henry once for all, and have it done with. This was the last stroke,
the final straw. He could stand it no longer. He stalked over to his uncle,
and really intended to lay violent hands on him; but of course he could
not. That defenseless old man, that pathetic figure seemed to wilt before
his piercing eyes, seemed to shrivel and literally fall to pieces. In hot
disgust, Gilbert could only cry out:
"How dare you! How dare you, I say! This is the crowning interference!" He
had put his hands behind his back and braced his shoulders, fearing that he
would not be responsibile for what he did.
Pages:
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118