e? Why, I rocked ye in my arms as a baby, Aileen. I've
watched over ye when ye were not bigger than what would rest in me two
fists here. I've been a good father to ye--ye can't deny that. Look at
the other girls you've seen. Have any of them had more nor what ye have
had? Ye won't go against me in this. I'm sure ye won't. Ye can't. Ye
love me too much--surely ye do--don't ye?" His voice weakened. His eyes
almost filled.

He paused and put a big, brown, horny hand on Aileen's arm. She had
listened to his plea not unmoved--really more or less softened--because
of the hopelessness of it. She could not give up Cowperwood. Her father
just did not understand. He did not know what love was. Unquestionably
he had never loved as she had.

She stood quite silent while Butler appealed to her.

"I'd like to, father," she said at last and softly, tenderly. "Really
I would. I do love you. Yes, I do. I want to please you; but I can't in
this--I can't! I love Frank Cowperwood. You don't understand--really you
don't!"

At the repetition of Cowperwood's name Butler's mouth hardened. He could
see that she was infatuated--that his carefully calculated plea had
failed. So he must think of some other way.

"Very well, then," he said at last and sadly, oh, so sadly, as Aileen
turned away. "Have it yer own way, if ye will. Ye must go, though,
willy-nilly. It can't be any other way. I wish to God it could."

Aileen went out, very solemn, and Butler went over to his desk and sat
down. "Such a situation!" he said to himself. "Such a complication!"

Chapter XXXVIII

The situation which confronted Aileen was really a trying one. A girl of
less innate courage and determination would have weakened and yielded.
For in spite of her various social connections and acquaintances, the
people to whom Aileen could run in an emergency of the present kind were
not numerous. She could scarcely think of any one who would be likely
to take her in for any lengthy period, without question. There were a
number of young women of her own age, married and unmarried, who were
very friendly to her, but there were few with whom she was really
intimate. The only person who stood out in her mind, as having any real
possibility of refuge for a period, was a certain Mary Calligan, better
known as "Mamie" among her friends, who had attended school with Aileen
in former years and was now a teacher in one of the local schools.

The Calligan family consisted