Though
sometimes neglectful, he had never shown himself stern. The look which
he now gave her was new to all her experience. The poor girl began to
conceive much more seriously of her offence than ever;--it seemed to
spread out unimaginably far, and to involve a thousand violations of
divine and human law. She could only look pleadingly, without speech, to
her father. His finger silently pointed her to withdraw.
"Oh, father!"--the exclamation was barely murmured.
"Go!" was the sole answer, with the finger still uplift.
In silence, she glided away; not, however, without stealing a fond and
assuring glance at her lover.
Her departure was the signal for that issue between the two remaining
parties for which each was preparing in his own fashion. Ralph had not
beheld the dumb show, in which Edith was dismissed, without a rising
impulse of choler. The manner of the thing had been particularly
offensive to him. But the father of Edith, whatever his offence, had
suddenly risen into new consideration in the young man's mind, from the
moment that he fully comprehended his feelings for the daughter.
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