Who? Who hates me? In
instant answer, up before my mind flashed a picture of Tom Langdon and Sam
Ellersly arm in arm entering Lewis' office. Tom Langdon wishes to marry
her; and her parents wish it, too; he is the man she was confessing to me
about--these were my swift conclusions.
"We do not care to discuss the matter, sir," Mrs. Ellersly was replying,
her tone indicating that it was not fit to discuss. And this was the woman
I had hardly been able to treat civilly, so nauseating were her fawnings
and flatterings!
"So!" I said, ignoring her and opening my batteries full upon the old man.
"You are taking orders from Mowbray Langdon now. Why?"
As I spoke, I was conscious that there had been some change in Anita. I
looked at her. With startled eyes and lips apart, she was advancing toward
me.
"Anita, leave the room!" cried Mrs. Ellersly harshly, panic under the
command in her tones.
I felt rather than saw my advantage, and pressed it.
"You see what they are doing, Miss Ellersly," said I.
She passed her hands over her eyes, let her face appear again. In it there
was an energy of repulsion that ought to have seemed exaggerated to me
then, knowing really nothing of the true situation.
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