nd expression in words.

But her smile faded before the displeasure in her father's face. He
scrutinized her keenly from under his heavy brows, but if he noted the
traces of tears upon her face, he made no comment.

"I did not suppose, Kate," he said, slowly, for he could not bring
himself to speak harshly to her,--"I did not suppose that a child of
mine would treat any guest of this house as rudely as you treated Mr.
Walcott to-night. I sent for you for an explanation."

"I did not mean to be rude, papa," Kate replied, seating herself on her
father's knee and laying one arm caressingly about his neck, "but he did
annoy me so to-night,--he has annoyed me so often of late,--I just
couldn't endure it any longer."

"Has Mr. Walcott ever conducted himself other than as a gentleman?"

"Why, no, papa, he is gentlemanly enough, so far as that is concerned."

"I thought so," her father interposed; "I should say that he had laid
himself out to entertain you and your friends and to make it pleasant
for all of us whenever he has been here. It strikes me that his manners
are very far from annoying; that he is a gentleman in every sense of the
word; he certainly carried himself like one to-night in the face of the
treatment you gave him."

"Well, I'm sorry if I was rude. I have no objection to him as a
gentleman or as an acquaintance, if he would not go beyond that; but I
detest his attentions and his love-making, and he will not stop even
when he sees that it annoys me."

"No one has a better right to pay his attentions to you, for he has
asked and received my permission to do so."

Kate drew herself upright and gazed at her father with eyes full of
horror.

"You gave him permission to pay attention to me!" she exclaimed, slowly,
as though scarcely comprehending his meaning; then, springing to her
feet and drawing herself to her full height, she demanded,--

"Do you mean, papa, that you intend me to marry him?"

For an instant Mr. Underwood felt ill at ease; Kate's face was white and
her eyes had the look of a creature brought to bay, that sees no escape
from the death confronting it, for even in that brief time Kate, knowing
her father's indomitable will, realized with a sense of despair the
hopelessness of her situation.

"I suppose your marriage will be the outcome,--at least, I hope so,"
her father replied, quickly recovering his composure, "for I certainly
know of no one to whom I would so willingly intrust your