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“Get rid of me, Dad,” Betty’s laugh rang out, while her looks quite belied the rather terrible character just ascribed to her.
One foot tucked under her, she sat in a veranda swing, now and then touching her toe to the floor to keep swaying. She wore a sand-colored sport suit whose matching hat lay beside her on the floor.
Her vivid, laughing face, with its big gray eyes and pink cheeks, its scarlet lips and white teeth was framed by a mop of dark brown wavy hair, now tossed by the strong breeze from the sea.
The veranda overlooked the ocean, and the sunlit waves, stretching far away from the great cliff were dotted in the foreground with small craft.
Frederick Varian sat on the veranda rail, a big, rather splendid-looking man, with the early gray of fifty years showing in his hair and carefully trimmed Vandyke beard.
His air was naturally confident and self-assured, but in the face of this chit of a girl he somehow found himself at a disadvantage.
“Betty, dear,” he took another tack, “can’t you understand the fatherly love that cannot bear the idea of parting with a beloved daughter?”
“Oh, yes, but a father’s love ought to think what is for that daughter’s happiness. Then he ought to make the gigantic self-sacrifice that may be necessary.”
A dimple came into Betty’s cheek, and she smiled roguishly, yet with a canny eye toward the effect she was making.
But Varian looked moodily out over the sea.
“I won’t have it,” he said, sternly. “I suppose I have some authority in this matter and I forbid you to encourage any young man to the point of a proposal, or even to think of becoming engaged.”
“How can I ward off a proposal, Dad?” Betty inquired, with an innocent air.
“Don’t be foolish. Of course you can do that. Any girl with your intelligence knows just when an acquaintance crosses the line of mere friendship – ”
“Oh, Daddy, you are too funny! And when you crossed the line of mere friendship with mother, – what did she do?”
“That has nothing to do with the subject. Now, mind, Betty, I am not jesting, – I am not talking idly – ”
“You sound very much like it!”
“I’m not. I’m very much in earnest. You are not to encourage the definite attentions of any – ”
“All right, let Rod Granniss come up here then, and I promise not to encourage him.”
“He shall not come up here, because he has already gone too far, and you have encouraged him too much – ”
“But I love him, Daddy, – and – and I think you might – ”
“Hush! That’s enough! Don’t let me hear another word now or ever regarding Granniss! He is crossed off our acquaintance, and if he persists in staying here, we will go away!”
“Why, Father, we’ve only just come!”
“I know it, and I came here, thinking to get you away from that man. He followed us up here, – ”
“He was here before we came!”
“But he didn’t come until he knew we were coming.”
“All right, he came because he wanted to be where I am. And I want to be where he is. And you’d better be careful, Father, or I may take the bit in my teeth and – ”
“And run off with him? That’s why I came here. You can’t get away. You perfectly well know that there’s no way down from this house but by that one narrow path, – I suppose you’ve no intention of jumping into the sea?”
“Love will find a way!” Betty sang, saucily.
“It isn’t love, Betty. It’s a miserable childish infatuation that will pass at once, if you lose sight of the chap for a short time.”
“Nothing of the sort! It’s the love of my life!”
Varian laughed. “That’s a fine-sounding phrase, but it doesn’t mean anything. Now, child, be reasonable. Give up Granniss. Be friends with all the young people up here, boys and girls both, but don’t let me hear any foolishness about being engaged to anybody.”
“Do you mean for me never to marry, Father?”
“I’d rather you didn’t, my dear. Can’t you be content to spend your days with your devoted parents? Think what we’ve done for you? What we’ve given you, – ”
“Dad, you make me tired! What have you given me, what have you done for me, more than any parents do for a child? You’ve given me a home, food and clothing, – and loving care! What else? And what do I owe you for that, except my own love and gratitude? But I don’t owe you the sacrifice of the natural, normal, expectation of a home and husband of my own! I’m twenty, – that’s quite old enough to think of such things. Pray remember how old mother was when she married you. She was nineteen. Suppose her father had talked to her as you’re talking to me! What would you have said to him, I’d like to know!”
By this time Fred Varian was walking with quick short strides up and down the veranda. Betty rose and faced him, standing directly in his path.
“Father,” she said, speaking seriously, “you are all wrong! You don’t know what you’re talking about – ”
“That will do, Betty!” When Varian’s temper was roused he could speak very harshly, and did so now. “Hush! I will not hear such words from you! How dare you tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about! Now you make up your mind to obey me, or I’ll cut off all your association with the young people! I’ll shut you up – ”
“Hush, yourself, Dad! You’re talking rubbish, and you know it! Shut me up! In a turret of the castle, I suppose! On bread and water, I suppose! What kind of nonsense is that?”
“You’ll see whether it’s nonsense or not! What do you suppose I took this isolated place for, except to keep you here if you grow too independent! Do you know there is no way you can escape if I choose to make you a prisoner? And if that’s the only way to break your spirit, I’ll do it!”
“Why, Father Varian!” Betty looked a little scared, “whatever has come over you?”
“I’ve made up my mind, that’s all. For twenty years I’ve humored you and indulged you and acceded to your every wish. You’ve been petted and spoiled until you think you are the only dictator in this family! Now a time has come when I have put my foot down – ”
“Well, pick it up again, Daddy, and all will be forgiven.”
Betty smiled and attempted to kiss the belligerent face looking down at her.
But Frederick Varian repulsed СКАЧАТЬ