He turned on his heel, disgusted at this refutation of his theories. He was wretched and uncomfortable as he had never been before, and if it was not this intruding presence that made him so, what was it? Of course he was getting tired of her; what could be more natural? For fifteen years he had not known the pressure of a bond. Of course it was irksome to him! He really must get rid of it.
His moodiness did not escape Elizabeth, nor did she fail to note the recent accentuating of those lines in his face, which had at first struck her painfully, but which she had gradually become accustomed to. In her own mind she concluded that her father had lived too long at this high altitude, and that she must persuade him to leave it.
"Papa," she said, as they stood for a moment in the doorway after supper, "don't you think it would be good fun to go abroad this autumn?"
His drooping spirit revived; she was getting tired of ranching.
"A capital plan, my dear. Just what you need," he replied, with more animation than he had shown since morning.
"Let us start pretty soon," she went on persuasively, deceived by his ready acquiescence.
"Us? My dear, what are you thinking of? I' m tired to death of Europe! Nothing would induce me to go."
"Oh, well. Then I don't care anything about it," she said. "We'll stay where we are, of course. I am as happy and contented as I could be anywhere."
Stanwood turned upon her with a sudden, fierce irritation.
"This is nonsense!" he cried. "You are not to bury yourself alive out here! I won't permit it! The sooner you go, the better for both of us!"