Mrs. Hewett entered the room; the loud angry voice had reached her ears, and in spite of terror she came to interpose between the two men.
‘Do you know what he’s come to tell me?’ cried her husband. ‘Oh, you do! He’s been tryin’ to talk you over, has he? You just answer to me, an’ tell the truth. Who was it persuaded me to let Clara go from ’ome? Who was it come here an’ talked an’ talked till he got his way? He knew what ‘ud be the end of it—he knew, I tell you,—an’ it’s just what he wanted. Hasn’t he been drawin’ away from us ever since the girl left? I saw it all that night when he came here persuadin’ me, an’ I told it him plain. He wanted to ‘a done with her, and to a’ done with us. Am I speakin’ the truth or not?’
‘Why should he think that way, John?’ pleaded the woman faintly. ‘You know very well as Clara ‘ud never listen to him. What need had he to do such things?’
‘Oh yes, I’m wrong! Of course I’m wrong! You always did go against me when there was anything to do with Clara. She’d never listen to him? No, of course she wouldn’t, an’ he couldn’t rest until he saw her come to harm. What do you care either? She’s no child of yours. But I tell you I’d see you an’ all your children beg an’ die in the streets rather than a hair of my own girl’s head should be touched!’
Indulgence of his passion was making a madman of him. Never till now had he uttered an unfeeling word to his wife, but the look with which he accompanied this brutal speech was one of fiery hatred.
‘Don’t turn on her!’ cried Sidney, with bitterness. ‘Say what you like to me, and believe the worst you can of me; I shouldn’t have come here if I hadn’t been ready to bear everything. It’s no good speaking reason to you now, but maybe you’ll understand some day.’
‘Who know’s as she’s come to harm?’ urged Mrs. Hewett. ‘Nobody can say it of her for certain, yet.’
‘I’d have told him that, if he’d only listened to me and given me credit for honesty,’ said Kirkwood. ‘It is as likely as not she’s gone away just because I angered her on Saturday. Perhaps she said to herself she’d have done with me once for all. It would be just her way.’
‘Speak another word against my girl,’ Hewett shouted, misinterpreting the last phrase, ‘an’ I’ll do more than say what I think of you—old man though they call me! Take yourself out of this room; it was the worst day of my life that ever you came into it. Never let me an’ you come across each other again. I hate the sight of you, an’ I hate the sound of your voice!’
The animal in Sidney Kirkwood made it a terrible minute for him as he turned away in silence before this savage injustice. The veins upon his forehead were swollen; his clenched teeth gave an appearance of ferocity to his spirited features. With head bent, and shoulders quivering as if in supreme muscular exertion, he left the room without another word.