to do. There is nothing
the matter with me. I have nothing to complain of. What I do I do of
my own free will."

"Madelon," whispered Eugene, with a red flush stealing over his dark
face, his eyes dropping a little before her, "you don't--think she
will--marry him?"

"Who? Dorothy?"

Eugene nodded.

"Of course she will--marry him, Eugene Hautville."

Eugene set his sister down suddenly and got up. "All I've got to say
is, then," he cried, with a movement of his right arm like a blow,
"it's a damned shame that the child can't be taken care of among us
all."

"What do you mean, Eugene Hautville?"

"I mean that she had better lie down in her grave than marry that--"

"Take care what you say, Eugene."

"I say she had--"

"Better lie down in her grave than marry him--than marry Burr Gordon?
What do you mean? Who are you, that you talk in this way? He is
better than you all; not one of you is fit to tie his shoe."

"Madelon, are you mad? He is a lying villain, and you know it,
and--God knows it's only on her account I speak. Some one ought to
tell her."

"Tell her, tell her! What do you think I would tell her if I were to
speak? If she were to come to me and ask me if Burr ever courted me
and played me false for her, I would tell her, no, no, no! If she
were to ask me if Burr ever kissed me, or said a fond word to me, or
gave me a fond look, I would tell her, and this last is the truth,
that he never gave me more than a passing thought, and 'twas only my
own short-sightedness and conceit that made me think 'twas more than
that, shame to me! Isn't he a man, and shouldn't a man look well
about him among us to be sure his heart is set? I'd tell her 'twas
something for her to hold up her head for among other women all the
days of her life, because he chose her. That's what I'd tell her."

"Madelon!"

"Dorothy Fair shall not cheat Burr now, when he has set his heart
upon her. It would be worse than all that has gone before. I tell you
I won't bear that. He shall have her if he wants her. He has suffered
enough."

"But you--you," gasped Eugene. "I thought you--I thought you wanted
him yourself, Madelon."

"I've gone past myself. All I think of now is what he wants," said
she, shortly. She turned to go out of the room; then she stopped and
spoke to him over her shoulder: "There's no need of talking any more
about it." She added: "I know what I've set out to do, and I can go
through with it." Then the door s