“That’s hard, Natie. It must have been awful; you thought so much of her. And Milly? I always loved Milly. She was such a wonderful little woman and did so much for you. I remember she was the only one who stuck by us in the factory the time you had that trouble with the help and they all walked out on you.”
“Milly was untrue to me,” returned Nathan with continued stiffness. “She ran away with that Plumb fellow and was killed—when a munitions plant exploded in Russellville, New Jersey.”
Johnathan assimilated this after a time. He murmured philosophically, “The ways of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Blessed be the name of the Lord!”
Nathan grimaced.
“What else do you wish to know, father?” he asked—and waited.
“And now you’re plunging into matrimony again so quick! I don’t see how you can do it, Natie—out of respect to Milly’s memory if nothing else.”
Nathan kept his temper admirably. He could apologize to Madelaine for the insult afterward—an entire lifetime of apology.
“I owe Milly nothing. I told you she ran away with Plumb. Anyway, we won’t talk about that. You’re only dwelling upon it because you see it annoys Miss Theddon. What other information can I give you?”
Johnathan’s manner changed.
“How about your mother?” he demanded like a challenge.