He struggled up from his chair. His face was all amazement and his voice hoarse.
“Refused you? What have you said? What have you done? Something has happened, I tell you.”
“Why? She was at perfect liberty to make her own choice.”
“You wrote to her last night?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you? Why didn’t you do as I understood you intended to yesterday?”
“I asked you to leave that question alone for the present.”
“You’ve no right to. I——” his face flamed up for a moment. But with a mighty effort he fought it under.
“Renny,” he said, in a subdued voice, “I had no business to speak to you like that. But you don’t know upon what a wheel of torment I have been these last weeks. The girl—Dolly—is so much to me, and her happiness——” he broke off almost with a sob.
I sprung to my feet. I could bear it no longer.