"And if you do—what then?"
"She'll fall into line—women do! Their life takes it out of them. Once I get her on the right track, she'll go straight enough. There's no other way for her sex, thank God!"
"She'd be a poor, despicable thing if she was cowed." Contempt rang in Farwell's voice.
"She'd serve her purpose." Glenn was so angry that he became brutal. "Spirit ain't needed for her job."
"Purpose? Job?" Farwell repeated.
"Yes. Child-bearing; husband-serving. If they take to it naturally they're all the better off; if they have to be brought to terms—well, then——"
Gradually the truth dawned upon Farwell, and his thin face flushed, while in his heart he pitied Theodora Glenn and Priscilla.
"I wish I'd kept to my first ideas!" Glenn was saying surlily, "and never let the limb learn of you or another. I gave her her head and here we are!"
"Had she been taught regularly by some one better fitted than I she would have done great credit to you. She has a bright mind and a vivid imagination."
To this Glenn made no response, but the energy with which he applied the brush to his horse caused the animal to rear dangerously.