By a great effort, she at last arose from her chair. Her father saw the marblelike pallor of her face, and, touched by this sign of distress, he came over, put his arms about her and kissed her. Her cheek, against which he pressed his lips, seemed cold as ice.
"Don't be foolish, dear!" he pleaded. "You shouldn't grieve over a man who is so manifestly unworthy of you. You know that I love you, and that I haven't said these things to give you pain, but because it is my duty as your father. Now, good night, dear."
"Good night!" she said, as if in a dream, and blindly walked toward the door.
In her room, she threw herself across her bed.
"Oh, what shall I do?" she moaned. "Buck! Buck! Buck! Who has told such terrible lies on you, dear?"
And so she lay there, moaning out a grief that was too great for tears.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE BLOW FALLS.
The next afternoon the Westerner received this note, which was delivered at his room by a boy, who went away before Badger had a chance to question him: