The Air Trust Part 23

She looked at him a moment, hardly understanding; then bowed her head.

"Father," she whispered. "Forgive me--but I couldn't! I--I couldn't! No, not for the world!"

Flint's drug-contracted eyes hardened as he stood there gazing down at her. Once, twice he essayed to speak, but found no words. At last, however, blinking nervously, he said:

"This, Kate, is what I want to talk with you about, to-night. Will you hear me?"

CHAPTER XIX.

CATHERINE'S DEFIANCE.

"Hear you, best and dearest father in the world?" she cried, looking quickly up at him again. "Of course I will! Only, I beg you, don't--don't ask me to--"

"I will ask you nothing, Kate, my girl, save this--to consider everything well, and to act like a reasoning, thinking creature, not like an impetuous and romantic school-girl!"

Releasing her hands, he once more sat down in the easy-chair, crossed his legs and peered keenly at her, to fathom if he could the inner workings of that other brain and heart.

"Well, father," she said, "I'll admit, right away, that I've done wrong to keep this from you, or to try to. We--I--broke the engagement, that day of the accident, out at Longmeadow. I _meant_ to tell you, tell you everything and explain it all, but somehow--"

"You needn't explain, my dear," said Flint, judicially. "Wally has already done so."

"And does he blame me, father?" cried the girl, eagerly, clasping her hands on her knees.

"No, not at all. On the contrary, he claims the fault is all his own.

And he's most contrite and repentant, Kate. Absolutely so. All he asks in the world is to make amends and--well, resume the old relation, whenever you are willing."

Kate shook her head.

"That's n.o.ble and big of him, father," said she, "to a.s.sume all the blame. Really, half of it is mine. But he's acted like a true man, in taking it. However, that can't change my decision. I want him for a friend, in every way. But for a husband, no, no, never in this world!"

The Billionaire frowned darkly. Already a stronger opposition was developing than he had expected; and opposition was the one thing in all the world that he could neither tolerate nor endure.

"Listen, Kate," said he. "You don't grasp the situation at all. Waldron is an extraordinary man in many ways. In refusing him, you seriously injure yourself. Of course, he has never done any spectacular, heroic thing for you, like--for instance--that young man who rescued you, and whom I shall suitably reward as soon as I find him--"

"What!" she exclaimed, peering eagerly at her father. "What do you mean?

Find him? Reward him?"

"Eh? Why, naturally," the Billionaire replied, scowling at the interruption. "His game of refusing his ident.i.ty was, of course, just a clever dodge on his part. He certainly must expect something out of it.

I have--er--set certain forces at work to discover him; and, as I say, when I've done so, I will reward him liberally, and--"

"You'd better _not_!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Kate, with animation. "He isn't the sort of man you can take liberties with!"

"Hm? What now?" said Flint, with vexation. "What do _you_ know about him?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing, father," the girl answered quickly. "Only, I think you're making a mistake to try and force a reward on a man who doesn't want it. But no matter," she added, her face tinged by a warmer glow--which Flint was quick to see. "Forgive my interruption. Now, about Wally?"

The old man peered intently at his daughter, a full minute, then with a peculiar sinking at his heart, made s.h.i.+ft to say:

"About Wally, yes; you simply don't understand. That's all. Listen now, Kate, and be reasonable."

"I will, daddy. Only don't ask me to marry a man I don't and can't love, ever, ever, so long as I live!"

"That isn't anything, my girl. Love isn't all."

"It is, to _me_! Without it, marriage is only--" She shuddered. "No, daddy; a thousand times better for me to be an old maid, and--and all that, than give myself to _him_!"

Flint set his teeth hard together.

"Kate," said he, his voice like wire, "now hear what I have to say! I want you fully to understand the character and desirability of Maxim Waldron!"

Then in a cold, a.n.a.lytic voice, carefully, point by point, he a.n.a.lyzed the suitor, told of his wealth and power, his connections and his prospects, his culture, travel, political influence and world-wide reputation.

"Furthermore," he added, while Kate listened with an expression as cold as her father's tone itself, "he is my partner. We are allied, in business. I hope we may be, too, in family. This man is one that any woman in the world might be proud to call her husband--proud, and glad!

Love flies away, in a few brief months or years. Wealth and power and respect remain. And, with these, love too may come. Be strong, Kate! Be sensible! You are no child, but a grown woman. I shall not try to force you. All I want to do is show you your own best interest. Think this all over. Sleep on it. Tomorrow, let us talk of it again. For your own sake, and mine, do as you should, and let folly be averted. Renew the engagement. Hush the breath of gossip and scandal. Conform. Play the game! Do right--be strong!"

She only shook her head; and now he saw the glister of tear-drops in those beautiful gray eyes.

"Father," cried she, standing up and holding out both hands to him.

"Have mercy on me! I can't--I can't! My heart refuses and I cannot force it. All this--what is it to me?" She swept her hand at the glowing luxury around her. "Without love, what would such another home be to me?

Worse than a prison-cell, I swear! A living death, to one like me!

Barter and sale--cold calculation--oh, horrible prost.i.tution, horrible, unspeakable!

"Poverty, with love--yes, I would choose it. Without love, I never, never can give myself! Never, as long as I live!"

The Billionaire, too, stood up. He was shaking, now, as in a palsy, striving to control his rage. His fingers twitched spasmodically, and his eyes burned like firecoals behind those gleaming lenses.

Then, as he peered at her, he suddenly went even paler than before.

Through his heart a stab of understanding had all at once gone home. The veils were lifted, and he knew the truth.

Her manner in speaking of that unknown, wandering rescuer; the blush that had burned from breast to brow, when he had mentioned the fellow; her aversion for Waldron and her reticence in talking of the accident--all this, and more, now surged on Flint's comprehension, flooding his mind with light--with light and with terrible anger.

And, losing all control, he took a step or two, and raised his shaking hand. His big-knuckled finger, shaken in denunciation, was raised almost in her face. Choking, stammering, he cried:

"Ah! Now I know! Now, now I understand you!"

Terrified, she retreated toward the door of the music-room.

"Father, father! What makes you look so?" she gasped. "Oh, you have never looked or spoken to me this way! What--what can it be?"

"What can it be?" he mouthed at her. "You ask me, you hypocrite, when you well know?"

Suddenly she faced him, stiffening into pride and hard rebellion.

"No more of that, father!" she exclaimed, her eyes blazing. "I am your daughter, but you can't talk to me thus. You must not!"