"What is it, Guy what is it you wish to say to me?"
The sight of her before him in all her girlish beauty, with that soft, sweet expression on the face raised so timidly to his, unmanned Guy entirely, and clasping her in his arms he wept passionately for a moment, while he tried to say:
"Oh, Daisy, my darling, tell me it is a horrid dream,—tell me you are still my wife, and go with me to the home I have tried to make so pleasant for your sake. It is not like Elmwood, but I will sometime have one handsomer even than that, and I'll work so hard for you. Oh, Daisy, tell me you are sorry for the part you had in this fearful business, if indeed you had a part, and I'll take you back so gladly. Will you, Daisy; will you be my wife once more? I shall never ask you again. This is your last chance with me. Reflect before you throw it away."
Guy's mood was changing a little, because of something he saw in Daisy's face,—a drawing back from him when he spoke of marriage.
"Daisy must not go back with you; I shall not suffer that," Mr. McDonald said, while Daisy, still keeping her arms around Guy's neck, where she had put them when he drew her to him, replied:
"Oh, Guy! I can't go with you; but I shall like you always, and I'm sorry for you. I never wanted to be married; but if I must, I'd better have married Tom, or that old Chicago man; they would not have felt so badly, and I'd rather hurt them than you."
The utter childishness of the remark roused Guy, and, with a gesture of impatience, he put her from him, and rising to his feet, said angrily:
"This, then, is your decision, and I accept it; but, Daisy, if you have in you a spark of true womanhood, you will some time be sorry for this day's work; while you!" and he turned fiercely upon Mr. McDonald,—"words cannot express the contempt I feel for you; and know, too, that I understand you fully, and am certain that were I the rich man I was when you gave your daughter to me, you would not have taken her away. But I will waste no more words upon you. You are a villain! and Daisy is"——His white lips quivered a little as he hesitated a moment, and then added: "Daisy was my wife."
Then, without another word, he left the house, and never turned to see the white, frightened face which looked after him so wistfully until a turn in the street hid him from view.