The Real Charlotte. 251 



her eyes travelled desperately and yet unconsciously over 

 the dingy lines of the curtain. 



" I told you already, Charlotte, that he didn't propose to 

 me," she answered ; " he just paid a visit here like anyone 

 else, and then he had to go away early." 



" Don't talk such baldherdash to me ! I know what he 

 comes here for as well as you do, and as well as every soul 

 in Lismoyle knows it, and I'll trouble ye to answer one ques- 

 tion — do ye mean to marry him ? " She paused and gave 

 the slight and shapely arm a compelling squeeze. 



Francie wrenched her arm away. " No, I don't ! " she 

 said, sitting up and facing Charlotte with eyes that had a 

 dawning light of battle in them. 



Charlotte pushed back her chair, and with the same 

 action was on her feet. 



" Oh, my God ! " she bawled, flinging up both her arms 

 with the fists clenched ; " d'ye hear that ? She dares to 

 tell me that to me face after all I've done for her ! " Her 

 hands dropped down, and she stared at Francie with her 

 thick lips working in a dumb transport of rage. '' And who 

 are ye waiting for ? Will ye tell me that ! You, that aren't 

 fit to lick the dirt off Christopher Dysart's boots ! " she went 

 on, with the uncontrolled sound in her voice that told that 

 rage was bringing her to the verge of tears ; " for the Prince 

 of Wales' son, I suppose ? Or are ye cherishing hopes that 

 your friend Mr. Hawkins would condescend to take a fancy 

 to you again ? " She laughed repulsively, waiting with a 

 heaving chest for the reply, and Francie felt as if the knife 

 had been turned in the wound. 



" Leave me alone ! What is it to you who I marry ? " 

 she cried passionately ; " I'll marry who I like, and no 

 thanks to you ! " 



" Oh, indeed," said Charlotte, breathing hard and loud 

 between the words ; " it's nothing to me, I suppose, that 

 I've kept the roof over your head and put the bit into your 

 mouth, while ye're carrying on with every man that ye can 

 get to look at ye ! " 



" I'm not asking you to keep me,'* said Francie, starting 

 up in her turn and standing in the window facing her cousin ; 

 " I'm able to keep myself, and to wait as long as I choose 

 till I get married ; /'m not afraid of being an old maid ! ' 



