\"Papa . . . do not say no! You must not! Twould
be monstrous cruel of you，\" cried Kathleen Newbury.
She was fourteen and at such an age， consents and de-
nials take on a life and death quality.
Her father s gentle smile soothed her troubled counte-
nance and his white soft hands took her shoulders. \"Kath-
leen， dearest， we have already been over the matter. I
thought you understood.\"
\"No. I do not understand!\" She was on the verge of
tears.
He put a hand through his graying soft brown locks
and turned away from her. \"My dear child， you must
consider the impracticalities of you accompanying me at
such a time.\"
\"But， Papa， I do think of practicalities. I do! It would
be far more wise to have me with you， where you could
keep a watchful eye upon me than to leave me to my own
devices here!\"
He laughed and glanced back at her earnest little face.
\"Nell will guard you a sight better than I.\"
She pouted， and her gray eyes pleaded. \"Papa， please
take me to England with you. Please， tis my home as
well as yours and I would be so good.\"
\"No， Kate.\" His voice was grave and unyielding.
\"You . . . you want to leave me here，\" she said， her
voice catching in her throat. She was of the age where
change is most be~vildedng， and now that her one re-
maining parent was about to depart for England some
three thousand miles away， Kate was miserable!
\"Want to leave you?\" repeated Sir Horace， much struck
by so unthinkable a notion. \"My sweet child~ you have
been， will always be all the love， all the good that has
|
内容加载中，请稍后...
商品评论（0条）