"Oh, Geraldine, cannot you forgive the madness of a love like mine that dares anything rather than lose you?" he implored, with theatrical fervor.
"Geraldine, dear," called her mother, softly, and she darted back to her side.
The lady said, quickly:
"My dear daughter, I can never give my consent to your marriage with that person."
Geraldine threw her arms about the lady, and whispered, thrillingly:
"Dear mother, I do not wish to marry him; but—let us wait until after we reach Chicago before we repudiate my promise. I fear his anger, for he is a desperate man. Let us temporize with him until we are out of his power."
By that time Standish had returned to his seat, and seeing that the proud mother of Geraldine was determined to ignore him, his anger made him say, sullenly:
"Madame, you have asserted a claim to Miss Harding, as your daughter, but you have presented no proofs to substantiate your claim. As her present guardian and her betrothed husband, I must request the production of those proofs."
She gazed at him in cold astonishment at this audacity, but answered, frigidly:
"Your solicitude does you credit, but I can satisfy all your doubts."