“It’s a rascally shame,” cried Churton, almost beside himself. Then he turned sharply upon Maimie. “Three weeks ago! Since you came? Girl, this is your doing?”
She stood up and faced him, pale, but otherwise unmoved.
“This is your doing!” he shouted. “You hear?”
“I hear you, father,” she replied.
“And you allow that it is true? If you did, I’ll—”
Robert stepped forward, and took his stand by Maimie’s side.
“Yes, I don’t doubt,—done by you two! I was a fool ever to trust the girl, I might have guessed—”
“Father, you might have guessed that you could not trust me to help forward a wrong.”
“No violence here, Churton,” my husband said, for his gestures spoke of uncontrollable wrath.
“I’ll do as I like with my own girl,” he said roughly.