Mr. Belcher was startled by the alarmed and angry look in her eyes.
"Time!" he said, fiercely; "Eternity, you mean."
"You pretend to care for me, and yet you disobey what you know to be my
wish. Prove your friendship by leaving me. I wish to be alone."
"Leave you, with not so much as the touch of your hand?" he said.
"Yes."
The General turned on his heel, took up his hat, paused at the door as
if hesitating what to do; then, without a word, he went down stairs and
into the street, overwhelmed with self-pity. He had done so much, risked
so much, and accomplished so little! That she was fond of him there was
no question in his own mind; but women were so different from men! Yet
the villain knew that if she had been easily won his heart would have
turned against her. The prize grew more precious, through the obstacles
that came between him and its winning. The worst was over, at least; she
knew his project; and it would all come right in time!
As soon as he was out of the house, Mrs. Dillingham burst into a fit of
uncontrollable weeping. She had passed through the great humiliation of
her life. The tree which she had planted and nursed through many years
of unworthy aims had borne its natural fruit.
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