"IT WOULD BE WISER TO MAKE A FRIEND THAN AN ENEMY OF ME."
Bernardine Moore drew herself up to her full height, and looked the
scorn she felt for the man standing before her, as he gave utterance to
his hatred of Doctor Gardiner.
"It is a coward only who threatens one who is not present to defend
himself!" she answered; adding, icily: "I imagine when you meet Doctor
Gardiner you will find a foeman worthy of your steel."
"You are not in the most amiable mood this evening. I hope you will
receive me more pleasantly the next time. Good-night, my beautiful
sweetheart. _Au revoir_ for the present, obstinate though fairest of all
sweethearts."
Ere Bernardine had time to divine his intention, he had caught her in
his arms, pressed her close to his throbbing heart, and although she
struggled all she knew how, he succeeded in covering her face, her neck,
her brow with his hot, wine-tainted kisses, the while laughing
hilariously as he noted how loathsome they were to the lovely young
girl.
Bernardine, with a wild shriek, broke at last from his grasp, and dashed
madly from the sitting-room to her own apartment, which she reached in
time to fall fainting in Miss Rogers' arms, the sting of those bitter
kisses burning her lips like flame.
As Jasper Wilde leisurely put on his hat and walked out of the
sitting-room, Miss Rogers suddenly confronted him.
"I would like a word with you, Jasper Wilde," she said, brusquely,
barring his way.
"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" he demanded, with a harsh
imprecation on his lips, thinking her one of his father's tenants.
"I want to intercede with you for poor Bernardine Moore," she said,
simply. "Let me plead with you to forego this marriage, which I
earnestly assure you is most hateful to her, for she loves another."
The flashing fire in his hard black eyes might have warned her that he
was an edged tool, and that it was dangerous to encounter him.
"Out of my way, you cursed old fool!" he cried, savagely; "or I'll take
you by the neck and fling you to the bottom of the stairs!"
Miss Rogers was sorely frightened, but she nobly held her ground.
"Your bullying does not terrify me in the least, Jasper Wilde," she
said, calmly. "I have seen such men as you before. I would have talked
with you quietly; but since you render that an impossibility, I will end
my interview with one remark, one word of warning. Attempt to force
Bernardine Moore into this hateful marriage, and it will be at your
peril. Hear me, and understand what I say: She shall never wed you!"
"I should be as big a fool as you are, woman, if I lost time bandying
words with you!" he cried, sneeringly. "If Bernardine has deputized you
to waylay me and utter that nonsensical threat, you may go back and tell
her that her clever little plan has failed ignominiously. I am proof
against threats of women."
Miss Rogers looked after him with wrathful eyes.
"If there was ever a fiend incarnate, that man is one," she muttered.
"Heaven help poor Bernardine if she carries out her intention of
marrying him! He will surely kill her before the honeymoon is over! Poor
girl! what direful power has he over her? Alas! I tremble for her
future. It would be the marriage of an angel and a devil. Poor
Bernardine! why does she not elope with the young lover whom she loves,
if there is no other way out of the difficulty, and live for love,
instead of filial duty and obedience?"
Bernardine worked harder than ever over her basket-making during the
next few days--worked to fill every moment of her time, so as to forget,
if she could, the tragedy--for it was nothing less--of her approaching
marriage to Jasper Wilde.
She grew thinner and paler with each hour that dragged by, and the tears
were in her eyes all the while, ready to roll down her cheeks when she
fancied she was not observed.
Once or twice she spoke to Miss Rogers about the man she loved, telling
her how grand, noble, and good he was, and how they had fallen in love
with each other at first sight; but she never mentioned his name.
"God help poor Bernardine!" she sobbed. "I do not know how to save the
darling girl. I think I will lay the matter before my dear young friend,
Doctor Gardiner. He is bright and clever. Surely he can find some way
out of the difficulty. Yes, I will go and see Jay Gardiner without
delay; or, better still, I will write a note to have him come here to
see me."
She said nothing to Bernardine, but quietly wrote a long and very
earnest letter to her young friend, asking him to come without delay to
the street and number where he had left her a week previous, as she had
something of great importance to consult him about.