"Oh! I don't know!" sighed the mother. "She is so strange! Not even willing to see Nelson. She thought it was Nelson when you came, and rushed away telling me she would not see him nor anyone else to-night! I could not tell him that of course. He has been so kind and so devoted. And I can see that he is terribly worried about this Keller. He looks as if he would like to fight every time Daisy mentions his name. But tell me, what did the fellow do when you told him Daisy was going to remain with you for the night?"
"Do? He was fairly insolent. He was furious. He told me to mind my own business. He strode around that parlor like a madman, till I told him Daisy had appealed to me for protection, and had told me she was not yet married to him; but that I had seen how he registered in the hotel. Then he calmed down a little and began to try to smooth things over. He tried to explain that he had done that merely to protect the girl, and that he intended to make everything right for her. He even came to the point, before we were done, of saying that perhaps he had been wrong in doing it, but he had followed an impulse when he wrote. Oh, you know how a man like that could lie himself out of anything! He even said that of course if Daisy preferred to be with me, it was all right, but he really must see her before she slept and arrange about his telegrams. Of course I saw through that. He knew his influence over her!
"So I told him she had asked not to be disturbed, and that she did not wish to see him again until she was at home with her mother and her mother knew all. Then he began to rave at me of course but I let him understand that I should not hesitate to call for assistance if he made further trouble, and I fancy he did not care for publicity, so he withdrew with what grace he could."
"And then?"
"Well, strange to say we had no further trouble with him. I had looked up trains and found there was a very early one. Perhaps he was asleep, although I was taking no chances. I decided to stay by till I placed her safely in her mother's care."
"You have been wonderful!" said the mother. "I can never thank you. And I'm glad too, that you came and told me all to-night. It has been very hard to hear, but it was right that I should know. Only, my dear new strong friend, I don't know what I am going to do. I am terrified at what may yet develop. I am sure that man will not be easily shaken off. He is probably only waiting till Daisy gets all strained up with anxiety, as she is now, when he knows she will be wax in his hands. I cannot believe he will give up so easily. He will know that you cannot linger around to protect always, and unfortunately, he is not afraid of me."
"My dear, wait until you have heard the rest of the story."
"Oh, is there more?" The mother's face showed a new terror.
She sat up tense and anxious clasping her frail hands in one another till the knuckles showed white.
"No, dear Mrs. Sheldon, don't be frightened," went on Mary Dunlap. "I will try to be as brief as possible, but I am sure you should know everything."