Part 32 (1/2)
”See here, young woman, I don't like your tone; nor do I understand what you mean. Who do you say this is, Ida May?” he added more gently, looking down into Sheila's face again.
”She--”
”_I'm_ Ida May Bostwick. You know I am!” wailed the visitor.
”Why--why, you must remember me, Tunis Latham. Don't you call her by my name. I won't stand it.”
”Mad as a hatter! Mad as a hatter!” muttered Cap'n Ira to Prudence.
”There's something the matter with her, is there?” proceeded Tunis thoughtfully, eying the claimant as though she was indeed an utter stranger. ”How did she get here? What does she want?”
”She wants a strait-jacket, I cal'late,” said Cap'n Ira. ”I don't know what is best to do about her. Prudence says she won't have her in the house overnight. 'Twould be too bad to have to put her in the town lockup.”
”You _dare_ to!” shrieked Ida May, with courage born of desperation.
Tunis put Sheila tenderly aside. He crossed the room to the other girl. He showed no manner of sympathy for her, but he spoke quietly.
”This won't do, you know. Mr. and Mrs. Ball don't want you here. You have no claim on them--none at all. Even if you chanced to be a relation, they have not got to take you in if they don't want to.”
”They've taken that other girl in!” cried Ida May wildly.
”That is their business. They want her. They don't want you. You have no more standing here than you would have if you went into the house of the governor of the State and demanded recognition there.”
”What a wicked man you are!” gasped Ida May. ”And--and I thought you was a simp!”
Tunis did not even change color. He addressed her as though he believed she was not right in her mind. Sheila watched him, not now in fear, but in wonder. She had thought she must battle with this girl for Tunis' name and reputation. But the captain of the _Seamew_ had seized the reins of affairs himself and was likely to do much better in the emergency than Sheila could ever dream of doing.
”Come, now,” said Tunis Latham calmly. ”I do not know where you belong or where you came from last. But you cannot stay here. Cap'n Ira and Aunt Prue do not want you. If you have any friends near--”
”I've got friends all right! You'll find out that I've got 'em!”
gasped the girl threateningly.
”You know anybody in Big Wreck Cove?”
”No, I don't. I've just come here. But I mean to stay here till I get my rights. I'll show you all!”
”You can't show us anything to-night,” interposed Tunis firmly.
”Whatever you mean to try to do cannot be done right now, you know.
You will have to sleep somewhere, and I shall have to do one of two things--no, one of three things.”
She looked at him wonderingly, but she was listening.
”I will take you back to the port. You cannot go home--wherever you live--to-night. In the morning you can go over with Ben Craddock on the stage to Paulmouth.”
”I won't!” The girl's determination was roused. There was a stubborn streak in her character that would make her a bitter antagonist.
Tunis, as well as Sheila, realized this.