Had the fabled head of the Medusa, with all its fell powers, arisen before the assembled party, it could not have produced a more appalling effect. Each stood as if turned to stone by her words.
The father and daughter remained confronted like beings charged with the mortal and eternal destiny of each other. At length Margaret, unable to bear the scrutiny of his fixed gaze, dropped her head upon her bosom, buried her burning face in her hands, and turned away.
Then Major Helmstedt, keeping his eyes still fixed with a devouring gaze upon her, slowly raised, extended and dropped his hand heavily upon her shoulder, clutched, turned, and drew her up before him.
“Again! let fall your hands; raise your head; look me in the face, minion!”
She obeyed, dropping her hands, and lifting her face, crimsoned with blushes, to his merciless gaze.
“Repeat—for I can scarce believe the evidence of my own senses! The charges brought against you, by the Houstons, are——”
“True! They are true!” she replied, in a voice of utter despair.
“Then, for three years past, ever since your betrothal to Mr. Ralph Houston, you have been in secret correspondence with a strange young man, disapproved by your protectress?” asked Major Helmstedt, in a sepulchral tone.
“I have—I have!”
“And you have met this young man more than once in private?”