Now! For the last time! Will you
write that letter? Think well before you refuse again!"
She towered over Dinah with awful determination, wrought up to a pitch of
fury by her resistance that almost bordered upon insanity.
Dinah's boldness waned swiftly before the iron force that countered it.
But her resolution remained unshaken, a resolution from which no power on
earth could move her.
"I can't do it--possibly," she said.
"You mean you won't?" said Mrs. Bathurst.
Dinah nodded, and gripped the table hard to endure what should follow.
"You--mean--you won't?" Mrs. Bathurst said again very slowly.
"I will not." The white lips spoke the words, and closed upon them. Dinah
sat rigid with apprehension.
Mrs. Bathurst took her hand from her shoulder and turned from her. The
candle that had been burning all the evening was low in its socket. She
lifted it out and went to the fireplace. There were some shavings in the
grate. She pushed the lighted candle end in among them; then, as the fire
roared up the chimney, she turned.
An open trunk was close to her with the dainty pale green dress that
Dinah had worn the previous evening lying on the top. She took it up, and
bundled the soft folds together. Then violently she flung it on to the
flames.
Dinah gave a cry of dismay, and started to her feet. "Mother! What are
you doing? Mother! Are you mad?"
Mrs.
Pages:
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471