Part 20 (1/2)
”I think I shall never be afraid again. I've sounded the depths of fear in the last week.”
The two sat looking into one another's eyes and the appeal in those long-lashed orbs of Geraldine continued the havoc that they had begun.
Her lips were very grave as she recalled the precipice from which she had been s.n.a.t.c.hed.
”I saw that he frightened you terribly that day he gave me such a warm welcome.”
”He was going to marry me,” explained Geraldine simply.
”How could he--the old ogre?”
”I was to consent in order to save my father's name. I'm going to tell you about it because you're a lawyer, aren't you, and the finest man in the world? I have it here.”
Geraldine loosened her coat and felt inside her white blouse for Miss Upton's letter.
Ben laughed and blushed to his ears. ”I haven't attained the former yet.
The latter, of course, I can't deny.”
Geraldine produced the letter, inside of which was folded that from her father.
”Miss Upton wrote me about you and--”
”You're not going to show it to me,” interrupted Ben hastily. ”I'm afraid the dear woman spread it on too thick for the victim to view.”
”You see, she knew how I hate men,” explained Geraldine, ”and she knew how friendless I was and she wanted me to trust you.”
”And do you?” asked Ben with ardor.
”Yes, perfectly. I have to, you know.” She tucked back the rejected letter in its hiding-place.
”And you're not going to hate me?”
”I should think not,” returned the girl with the same simple gravity; ”not when you've done me the greatest kindness of my whole life!”
”I'm so glad I haven't named the plane yet,” said Ben impulsively. ”You shall name it.”
”There's no name good enough,” she replied--”unless--unless we name it for that carrier pigeon that was such a hero in the War. We might name it _Cher Ami_.”
”Good,” declared Ben. ”It is surely a homing bird.”
”And such a _cher ami_ to me,” added Geraldine fervently.
Ben wondered if this marvelous girl never smiled.
”You were going to tell me how the ogre was able to force you to marry him,” he said.
”Yes; I don't like to tell you. It is very sad, and he crushed me with it.” The girl's lips trembled for a silent moment, and Cupid alone knows how Ben longed to kiss them, close to him as they were.
”He said that my father forged two checks, and that he only refrained from prosecuting him because of me. He said my father had promised that he should have me.”
Ben scowled, and the dark eyes fixed upon him brightened with sudden eagerness. ”But that was a lie--about father giving me to him. I have Daddy's letter here.” She felt again inside her blouse. ”You will have to know everything--how my poor father was his own worst enemy and came to rely for money on that impossible man.”