"Well, Senator, good-day!" At the door, he called back: "You've made a clean and honest fight—you deserve success! Good-day!"
But no sooner had the words passed his lips, than Shirley, almost beside herself, again broke forth:—
"A clean, honest fight! Oh!"
Murgatroyd resumed his seat, smiling. "Yes," he said, as if wholly unconscious of the girl's irony, "it is hard work to be chosen Senator without half a million or so behind you."
Up to this time, Shirley had held her indignation within bounds; but at this remark, she lost all control over herself.
"Why you—you're a thief!" she cried.
Instantly, Mrs. Challoner stepped forward, and raising a reproving hand, she said with great determination:—
"No, no, Shirley, I won't have you say such things! You must leave the room! You and Laurie—I insist upon it!"
Such an outburst from Miriam was so unusual that for a moment both Shirley and Challoner were taken aback. It was clear that unknown to them, Miriam had made up her mind to some course of action; in fact, so completely had she taken the situation in hand, that it was easy to imagine that she had forgotten that she was in the prosecutor's office and not in her own home.
Fierce anger burned in Shirley's impulsive heart, as glancing at Murgatroyd, she perceived that he was as impassive as ever, apparently taking little interest in the scene that was being enacted before him. A few moments elapsed before she could bring herself to agree to Miriam's demand.