Fledra crushed back against the cabin wall and eluded his searching fingers.
"I was goin' to marry Mr. Shellington; but I ain't now. I'm going back to him for tonight, and tomorrow, and I'm goin' to let him kiss me, and I'm goin' to kiss him."
She put forward her face until her breath swept Lem's skin.
"I'm goin' to kiss him as much—as much as he'll let me. And I'm goin' to write Fluke; and, if ye touches me afore I does all that—I'll kill ye!"
Lena drew back from her vehemence, leaving the way of the staircase clear, and in another instant Fledra was gone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The following day Shellington left for New York, immediately after breakfast.
Fledra made no attempt to write her farewells until in the evening after she had looked her last upon Floyd, and Ann had seen her to bed. An hour passed before she got up softly and turned on the light. She fumbled warily about her table for writing materials, and after she had found them her tense face was bent long over the letters. When she had finished, she stole along the hall to Horace's study, and left there the tear-stained envelops for him and her brother.