“My little pet name for him is Daddy Grandpa,” whispered the child, brokenly.
“Then leave me, run right up to him, throw your arms round his neck, and say, ‘Please, dear Daddy Grandpa, don’t send me away from you.’”
Somewhat to Mrs. Everest’s surprise, for she did not know what a relief the suggestion was to the child’s breaking heart, Bethany broke from her arms and rushed to the Judge, and, not being able to reach his neck, clasped his coat, or as much of it as she could grasp, and fairly shrieked in her nervousness, “Dear Daddy Grandpa, please don’t send me away from you.”
The Judge stopped short. His first thought was that the active baby had risen and was seizing him. Then he looked down into Bethany’s agitated face and said, “What! What!”
“Dear Daddy Grandpa,” she cried again; then her overwrought nerves gave way, and she burst into a frantic fit of sobbing.
“She doesn’t want to live with me,” said Mrs. Everest, shaking her black head, and as if remarking, “I am sorry, but it is no concern of mine,” she sat down and took up her own baby.
Bethany was clasping the coat and crying as if her heart would break.
“Upon my word!” ejaculated the Judge. “Upon my word!”
This was his exclamation in moments of great perplexity. “Little girl!” he said. “Little girl!”
This torrent of tears distressed him and made him vaguely alarmed.