"To Aurora Gower. What do you mean, sir? Let go my arm."
He dropped it, staggered to a chair, dropped his head in his hands, and sat like one suddenly struck by death.
"Archie, what is the matter?" said Minnette, looking at him in wonder. "Was Gipsy the one you came here to marry?"
"Minnette! Minnette! it cannot be true!" he exclaimed, springing to his feet, without heeding her question. "It is absurd—monstrous— impossible! My wild, free, daring Gipsy would never consent to marry a man she abhorred. For Heaven's sake, Minnette, only say you have been jesting!"
"I have spoken the truth," she answered, coldly. "My father this morning married Aurora Gower!"
"Great heavens! I shall go mad! What in the name of all the saints tempted her to commit such an act?"
"I know not. Most probably it is one of her strange freaks—or, perhaps, she thinks papa rich, and married him for his money. At all events, married him she has; her reasons for doing so I neither know nor care for."
"Heaven of heavens! Could Gipsy—she whom I always thought the pure, warm-hearted child of nature—commit so base an act? It cannot be! I will never believe it! By some infernal plot she has been entrapped into this unnatural marriage, and dearly shall those who have forced her rue it!" exclaimed Archie, treading up and down the room like one distracted.
"You always thought her simple and guileless; I always knew her to be artful and ambitious. She has not been entrapped. I have heard that she laughs as merrily as ever, and talks more nonsense than she ever did before in her life—in short, appears perfectly happy. She is too bold and daring to be entrapped. Besides, what means could they use to compel her? If she found them trying to tyrannize over her, she would run off as she did before. Nonsense, Archie! Your own sense must tell you she has married him willingly."
Every word was like a dagger to his heart. He dropped into a chair, buried his face in his hands, and groaned.