“And then I found out it was that railroad.  It came between Sarah Austen and her happiness, and now it’s come between Austen and his.  Perhaps you don’t love him!” cried Euphrasia.  “Perhaps you’re too rich and high and mighty.  Perhaps you’re a-going to marry that fine young man who came with you in the buggy.  Since I heard who you was, I haven’t had a happy hour.  Let me tell you there’s no better blood in the land than the Austen blood.  I won’t mention the Vanes.  If you’ve led him on, if you’ve deceived him, I hope you may be unhappy as Sarah Austen was—­”

“Don’t!” pleaded Victoria; “don’t!  Please don’t!” and she seized Euphrasia by the arms, as though seeking by physical force to stop the intolerable flow of words.  “Oh, you don’t know me; you can’t understand me if you say that.  How can you be so cruel?”

In another moment she had gone, leaving Euphrasia standing in the middle of the floor, staring after her through the doorway.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE FOCUS OF WRATH

Victoria, after leaving Euphrasia, made her way around the house towards Mr. Rangely, who was waiting in the runabout, her one desire for the moment being to escape.  Before she had reached the sidewalk under the trees, Dr. Tredway had interrupted her.

“Miss Flint,” he called out, “I wanted to say a word to you before you went.”

“Yes,” she said, stopping and turning to him.

He paused a moment before speaking, as he looked into her face.

“I don’t wonder this has upset you a little,” he said; “a reaction always comes afterwards—­even with the strongest of us.”

“I am all right,” she replied, unconsciously repeating Hilary’s words.  “How is Mr. Vane?”

“You have done a splendid thing,” said the doctor, gravely.  And he continued, after a moment:  “It is Mr. Vane I wanted to speak to you about.  He is an intimate friend, I believe, of your father’s, as well as Mr. Flint’s right-hand man in—­in a business way in this State.  Mr. Vane himself will not listen to reason.  I have told him plainly that if he does not drop all business at once, the chances are ten to one that he will forfeit his life very shortly.  I understand that there is a—­a convention to be held at the capital the day after to-morrow, and that it is Mr. Vane’s firm intention to attend it.  I take the liberty of suggesting that you lay these facts before your father, as Mr. Flint probably has more influence with Hilary Vane than any other man.  However,” he added, seeing Victoria hesitate, “if there is any reason why you should not care to speak to Mr. Flint—­”

“Oh, no,” said Victoria; “I’ll speak to him, certainly.  I was going to ask you—­have you thought of Mr. Austen Vane?  He might be able to do something.”

“Of course,” said the doctor, after a moment, “it is an open secret that Austen and his father have—­have, in short, never agreed.  They are not now on speaking terms.”