“What lady?” snarled her father.
“I dunno her name. The pretty one with the nice fur. She asked me if I’d like a ride, so I said yes. She gave me a quarter, too.” Melissa held out her tanned hand and showed them the money.
“Don’t you know any better than to go riding off with strangers?” her father shouted. “And scarin’ these young ladies, who was so nice to you, out of their wits? Wuz you around this house last night?”
“I was just lookin’ in a window. I didn’t mean any harm.” How cruel for a poor girl to be helpless!
“Well, you come along home with me.”
Melissa looked woefully at the surprised girls and started off to follow her father, who went clumping down the path in his hip boots.
“Mr. Clayton,” called Arden after him. “Please don’t punish Melissa; she didn’t do any harm.”
“I’ll take care of Melissa,” he answered shortly, completely forgetting how anxious he had been only a short time before to appear the worried father.
“If you touch her I’ll, I’ll——” Arden said, but he continued on his way, not even listening to her.
“What a horrid old man!” Terry remarked anxiously. “First he shows his concern and then——”