"Now, uncle, I beg you pause and take a moment's thought," said Madge, interrupting him. "You have never spoken unkindly to me."
"Nor will I, Madge, so long as I live. I know there is not a lie in you, and I am sure you believe to be true all you tell me, but Dorothy has deceived you by some adroit trick."
"If she deceived me, she is a witch," retorted Madge, laughing softly.
"That I am almost ready to believe is the case," said Sir George. Dorothy, who was combing her hair at the mirror, laughed softly and said:—
"My broomstick is under the bed, father."
Sir George went into Lady Crawford's room and shut the door, leaving me with the girls.
When her father had left, Dorothy turned upon me with fire in her eyes:—
"Malcolm Vernon, if you ever lay hands upon me again as you did last night, I will—I will scratch you. You pretended to be his friend and mine, but for a cowardly fear of my father you came between us and you carried me to this room by force. Then you locked the door and—and"—
"Did not Madge give you my message?" I asked, interrupting her.
"Yes, but did you not force me away from him when, through my fault, he was almost at death's door?"