Part 41 (1/2)

”My dear----”

”Don't call me that again! I hate you!” Barbara spoke with deliberate pa.s.sion.

”Have you gone mad?” Catherine cried, with impatience.

”Yes, mad with hatred. From to-day we are enemies, and I'll hate you forever!”

The older woman looked at her in astonishment and spoke with a deliberate sneer:

”As you like. Remember, then, from this moment that you are a servant under my command. I am no longer your foster-mother. Leave this room instantly, take your things to the domestic servants' quarters, and report to the head-woman for duty in the corridors of this wing of the building.”

”And you think I'll submit to this?” Barbara gasped.

Catherine rang the bell, and Barbara gazed at her with a look of mingled terror and rage. A sudden light flashed in her brown eyes.

”You mean this?”

”I'll show you in a moment,” was the calm reply.

”Then it's war between us,” Barbara cried.

She sprang to the door and Catherine caught her arm.

”Where are you going?”

”To Herman.”

”He cannot interfere with my decisions.”

Barbara threw her off and bounded through the door crying:

”We shall see!”

The girl rushed past the guard at the door of Wolf's office, trembling with rage, her eyes filled with blinding tears.

Wolf sprang to his feet in astonishment and met her with outstretched hands.

”What's the matter, child?” he asked as his big coa.r.s.e fists closed over the hot little fingers and his gray eyes lighted at the sight of her dishevelled hair and bare throat.

Barbara choked back the sobs, and looked appealingly into Wolf's face.

”We have quarrelled about last night. You understand, Herman.

Catherine has ordered me to leave my room and join the servants in the halls. You--you will not allow me to be degraded thus--will you?”

Wolf drew the trembling girl into his arms, pressed her close a moment, stroked her curls with his gnarled hand, and his face flushed with a look of triumph.

”Don't worry, dear, I'll protect you,” he answered, bending and kissing her forehead. ”Go back to your room, and if any one dares to disturb you, call for me.”