Mrs. Chilton bit her lip.  She had not expected this expression of proud independence; and, seeing that she had gone too far, pondered the best method of rectifying the mischief with as little compromise of personal dignity as possible.  Ultimately to eject her, she had intended from the first; but perfectly conscious that her brother would accept no explanation or palliation of the girl’s departure at this juncture, and that she and Pauline would soon follow her from the house, she felt that her own interest demanded the orphan’s presence for a season.  Nearly blinded by tears of indignation and mortification, Beulah turned from her, but the delicate white hand arrested her, and pressed heavily on her shoulder.  She drew herself up, and tried to shake off the hold; but firm as iron was the grasp of the snowy fingers, and calm and cold as an Arctic night was the tone which said: 

“Pshaw, girl, are you mad?  You have sense enough to know that you are one too many in this house; but if you only desire to be educated, as you profess, why, I am perfectly willing that you should remain here.  The idea of your growing up as my brother’s heiress and adopted child was too preposterous to be entertained, and you can see the absurdity yourself; but so long as you understand matters properly, and merely desire to receive educational advantages, of course you can and will remain.  I do not wish this to go any further, and, as a sensible girl, you will not mention it.  As a friend, however, I would suggest that you should avoid putting yourself in the way of observation.”  As she concluded she quietly brushed off a small spider which was creeping over Beulah’s sleeve.

“Don’t trouble yourself, madam; I am not at all afraid of poisonous things; I have become accustomed to them.”

Smiling bitterly, she stooped to pick up her new bonnet, which had fallen on the grass at her feet, and, fixing her eyes defiantly on the handsome face before her, said resolutely: 

“No! contemptible as you think me, beggarly and wretched as you please to term me, I have too much self-respect to stay a day longer where I have been so grossly, so needlessly insulted.  You need not seek to detain me.  Take your hand off my arm.  I am going now; the sooner, the better.  I understand, madam, your brother will not countenance your cruelty, and you are ashamed for him to know what, in his absence, you were not ashamed to do.  I scorn to retaliate!  He shall not learn from me why I left so suddenly.  Tell him what you choose.”

Mrs. Chilton was very pale, and her lips were compressed till they grew purple.  Clinching her hand, she said under her breath: 

“You artful little wretch.  Am I to be thwarted by such a mere child?  You shall not quit the house.  Go to your room, and don’t make a fool of yourself.  In future I shall not concern myself about you, if you take root at the front door.  Go in, and let matters stand.  I promise you I will not interfere again, no matter what you do.  Do you hear me?”