that must be said at once and
for the last time."

"Very well, sir," replied the girl.

Half an hour later she was closeted with her grandfather.

"Madam, I do not intend to waste much time over you this morning. I
merely mean to put a test question, whose answer shall decide my future
course in regard to you."

"Very well."

"I must preface my question by reminding you that you have constantly
disregarded my wishes and disobeyed my orders by refusing to see my
guests or to go out in company with me."

"Yes."

"When honored with an invitation to the state dinner at the executive
mansion you declined to go, even though I expressed my will that you
should accompany me."

"Yes."

"But for the future I intend to be master of my own house and of every
living soul within it. Now, then, for my test question. You have
received cards to the ball to be given at the house of the chief justice
to-morrow evening. I wish you to attend it, and my wish should be a
command."

"Of course."

"What is your answer? Think before you speak, for on your answer must
depend your future position in my house."

Cora was silent for a few moments.

"Sir," she began at length, "you are a just man, at least, and you will
not refuse to hear and consider my reasons for seclusion."

"I will consider nothing! I know them as well as you do. Morbid
sensitiveness about your peculiar position; morbid dread of facing the
world; morbid love of indulging in melancholy. And I will have none of
it! None of it! I will be obeyed, and you shall go out into society, or
else--"

"'Or else' what will be the alternative, sir?"

"You leave my house! I will have no rebel in my family!"

Had Cora followed the impulse of her proud and outraged spirit, she
would have walked out of the library, gone to her room, put on her
bonnet and cloak, and left the house, leaving all her goods to be sent
after her; but the girl thought of her poor, gentle, suffering
grandmother, and bore the insult.

"Sir," she said, with patient dignity, "do you think that it would have
been decorous, under the peculiar circumstances, for me to appear in
public, and especially at a state dinner at the executive mansion?"

"Madam, I instructed you to accept that invitation and to attend that
dinner! Do you dare to hint that I would counsel you to any indecorous
act?"

"No, sir; certainly not, if you had stopped to think of it; but
weightier matters occupied your mind, no doubt