"Married!" cried her father, and then restrained himself, though his face turned crimson. "But go on—perhaps she's dead."
"No, she isn't dead!" said Sue, reading a line or two farther. Then she closed the book. "I don't understand," she said, dazedly. "I can't understand. He didn't seem that kind of man at all, dad!"
"No," said a hoarse voice from the door. "No, he didn't."
"Nell! Nellie dear!" cried Sue, and in an instant her arms were about her.
"It—it doesn't matter," said Nell, steadying herself against the door, striving to still a sudden convulsive shuddering. "I was a f-fool to think he—he cared. Of course he—he was only amusing himself!" and then her self-control suddenly gave way, and her head fell forward upon her sister's shoulder. But only for a moment; that high queenliness was not on the surface, merely, but in the heart, as well. "I think I'm getting tired of Weet-sur-Mer, dad," she said, quite steadily, with a wan little smile. "I seem to be hungering for New York again; wouldn't you like to go home?"
"We'll go, of course, at once, dad," commanded Sue. "That's the only thing to do. Oh!" she cried, her eyes flashing, "I could murder such a man—cut him to pieces, inch by inch—and gloat over the deed!"
Rushford was very pale and his hands were trembling a little as he started for the door.
"Yes, I'll order the trunks packed," he said, incoherently. "I'll have to hurry—I'll try to—"
Something in his voice caught Susie's ear; she turned her head and looked at him.
"Dad!" she called.