"It was cruelly false," answered Hawthorne, who had heard from Cissy the whole story of the beginning of the acquaintance of the wily actor and the pretty shop-girl. He continued:
"He wished to prevent your further association with Geraldine, so as to keep her away from me."
"And he really intercepted your letter to her? I did not dream he was such a villain."
"He shall answer to me for that injury when we meet again," he said, so sternly that she saw that he was in bitter earnest.
She admired him for his manly resentment, and said, cordially:
"I do not blame you for wishing to punish him. Any manly man would do likewise. As for Geraldine, when she learns of his perfidy, she will turn from him in disgust."
"Unless she has learned to love the villain. Women are so faithful in their love even when the object is unworthy," he sighed.
Changing the subject, she continued:
"Do you know that Sister Daisy is to be married the week before Christmas?"