"Where?"
"Going toward home—I thought."
"He didn't go there. Where else would he go?"
"I don't—know." Her voice broke, her self-control was deserting her.
"Hey!… Hold on there. No hysterics or anything. Won't have 'em. Brace up."
"Let me alone, then," she said, childishly. "Why can't you let me alone?"
"I—Confound it! I'm not deviling you. I'm trying to haul you out of a muss. Quit it, will you?" She had sunk into a chair and covered her face. He got up and stood over her, scowling. "Will you stop it? Hear me? Stop it, I tell you'… What's the matter—anyhow? If Bonbright Foote's done anything to you he hadn't ought to I'll skin him alive."
The door opened and Hilda Lightener tripped into the room. "Hello, dad!" she said. "Surprise…. I want to—" She stopped to look at her father, and then at Ruth, crouched in her chair. "What's the matter, dad?" Hilda asked. "You haven't been scaring this little girl? If you have—" She paused threateningly.
"Oh, the devil!… I'll get out. You see if you can make her stop it. Cuddle her, or something. I've done a sweet job of it…. Miss Frazer, this is my daughter. Er—I'm going away from here." And he went, precipitately.
There was a brief silence; then Hilda laid her hand on Ruth's head. "What's dad been doing to you?" she asked. "Scare you? His bark's a heap sight worse than his bite."