"No, never!" cried the young man proudly. "Remain, senator, for I am quite satisfied. My pride is wounded more than my heart. I shall soon get over the blow."
"I will never forgive Ethel!" cried the angry senator. "She has shamed her mother and me before the whole world. People will point the finger of scorn at her and at us. She has always been proud and strange, this girl; but I did not dream she was so ignoble at heart. Henceforth, she can be a daughter only in name to me, for she has forfeited both love and respect. Oh, how different it would have been had you loved my favorite daughter instead of heartless Ethel! Precious would only have loved you the better for your misfortunes!"
Arthur held up his hand suddenly with an entreating gesture.
"Senator—and you, Mrs. Winans—will you permit me to make a confession to you?" he asked humbly, eagerly, and all in a breath he confessed the love for Precious that he had been struggling against for weary months because his troth belonged to queenly Ethel.
Senator Winans was confused, amazed. His wife sobbed quietly without looking up, and then Arthur said pleadingly:
"So all has happened for the best, and I bear no grudge against Miss Winans. I would have made her a good husband, but at heart I should have felt myself a traitor. Ah, senator, will you give me your permission to speak to Precious?"
"We cannot give Precious to any one," faltered the senator's wife.
"Hush, darling, or Arthur will think we are mercenary, like Ethel. Arthur shall have his chance with the rest, for we cannot hope to keep our darling from loving some one and making him happy as you did me, dear Gracie; so he may woo and win Precious if he can."
"I shall speak to her at once," cried the young lover in a tremor of joy, and turning to the door saw Precious standing on the threshold just entering.
Ethel had told her the truth with a careless smile; and full of indignation over her sister's cruelty, she had come to seek her parents.