"Papa! papa!" cried the child, clapping his little hands, as he struggled out of his mother's arms, and ran toward him.
He took no notice of the child, but frowningly demanded, as he faced the girl:
"How on earth did you ever get into this house?"
"By a door, of course," laconically responded the intruder, but with crimson cheeks and blazing eyes, for the man's rude manner had aroused all her spirit.
"Well, and what do you want?" he cried, angrily; then, with a violent start, he added, nervously: "Wait; sit down, and I will be back in a moment."
It had occurred to him that if Giulia had been able to gain admittance to the house without his hearing her, Edith might find it just as easy to make her escape from it.
So, darting out of the room, he ran swiftly upstairs, to ascertain, as we have seen, if his captive was still safe.
We know the result, and how adroitly Edith allayed his suspicions; whereupon, wholly reassured regarding her, he returned to the library to settle, once for all, as he secretly resolved, with his discarded plaything.
"Well, Giulia," he began, as he re-entered her presence, "what has brought you here? what is your business with me?"
"I have come to ascertain if this is true, and what you have to say about it," she answered, as she brought forth the newspaper which she had shown Edith, and pointed to the article relating to the wedding at Wyoming.