It had wrung his manly heart to hear the tales of how her cousins treated her at Stony Ledge, and how barren of girlish pleasures they made her young life. There were times when he had fairly raged over it to himself, longing to bear her away to the love and happiness he felt sure he could give her if she had but loved him in return.
But it was hopeless dreaming of such a thing, though for her sake he would have been willing to renounce every relative he had on earth, and go with her into exile forever.
It was with such thoughts that he had set about brightening the dull monotony of Eva’s life.
“She is old enough to have a lover, but those cruel women would not permit her to see a young man’s face if they could prevent it! Yet she shall know that one true heart is all her own, in spite of them!” he had vowed.
It was not very easy to carry out his plans, but he made friends with Link in the very beginning, because no one had ever told that faithful animal of the family vendetta. If he had been aware of it he would most likely have devoured Doctor Ludington.
Link placated, the doctor had followed out his little schemes to make Eva happy, finding their accomplishment simpler because his night practice in the neighborhood often took him past Stony Ledge in the “wee small hours,” when darkness covered his Romeo-like ascent to her window.
Unconsciously, scarcely daring to hope for it, he had thus won her love, and now that she was cast off by her family, a terrible temptation beset him to win her for his own.
Not as Doctor Ludington, though, for he did not believe he could overcome the race hatred. Besides, there was now another terrible shadow between their hearts—the blood of her Cousin Terry on his hands!
If he won her, it must be at the price of eternal renunciation of his family and name, but for such a prize he could count the world well lost.