Dallas grasped Letty Green’s arms so convulsively that she winced with the pain.
“Ouch! don’t pinch so! What have I done?”
He muttered fiercely, like one beside himself.
“What does this mean? Is it a play, as you said, or a horrible reality?”
Letty giggled, shook her flounces, and twittered:
“Oh, it’s a play, sir, of course, and they’ve been practicing on it for a week. Though, for certain, them two principals are engaged; but I don’t think the wedding day is set. ’Tis whispered they have quarreled, and Miss Bell won’t wear his ring; but my mistress says ’tisn’t true at all. But, la, sir, what are you doing out here peeking through the window like us servants? Why don’t you go into the drawing-room along with the quality?”
“I don’t care to go in yet, Letty. I just came unexpectedly, and I want to look on for a while unseen,” returned Dallas, with a long sigh of relief as he glued his face to the window and watched the scene within, singling out the beautiful form of Daisie with renewed hope and love.
He murmured exultantly:
“So they have quarreled? About me, of course. She is true, after all, my own sweet love! Ah! what a weight of woe is lifted from my breast! Oh, I must manage to see her presently, and beg her to forgive me for my rash flight, jealous fool that I was! As for Royall, I am not sorry for him, since he acted in a mean, underhand way to gain her love. Well, he had his day, and failed; now comes mine.”
Meanwhile, Letty was watching him with some compunction, owing to a guilty conscience.