“No, no, dear; not now. We ought not to have spoken to you,” said Saxa, pressing her lips to his brow. “It was very thoughtless, but we were so angry and could not keep it back.”
He nodded, looked at her proudly, and drew her hand to his lips.
“Good girl!” he said. “I’m not angry; only weak. Hush! Wait a little.”
“Yes,” said Dana quickly. “We’ll go now, and write in a few days.”
“No. Wait,” said the old man in a low voice, but one full of decision. “I must clear all this up. You cannot go.”
They waited for some minutes before he spoke again, thinking the while of the terrible helplessness of the man who had for so many years ruled like a king in their district, and who, even now, was fighting hard to sway his social sceptre still.
“Hah!” he ejaculated at last. “Absurd to be so weak. Better now. It was sudden.”
“Daddy, dear,” said Saxa tenderly, “don’t revive it. Let it all wait.”
“No; not a minute,” he said with decision. “I’m strong again now.”
He stretched out a hand to each, and smiled at them in turn.