"You belong on Cape Cod,"
he sneered. "Mater, let's get out of this."
"Wait! Put it plain now. Do I understand that you cal'late to break the
engagement because my niece has lost her money? Is that it?"
Mrs. Dunn realized that the inevitable was upon them. After all, it
might as well be faced now as later.
"This is ridiculous," she proclaimed. "Every sane person knows--though
BARBARIANS may not--" with a venomous glare at the captain--"that,
in engagements of the kind in which my son shared, a certain amount
of--er--financial--er--that is, the bride is supposed to have some
money. It is expected. Of course it is! Love in a cottage is--well--a
bit passe. My son and I pity your niece from the bottom of our hearts,
but--there! under the circumstances the whole affair becomes impossible.
Caroline, my dear, I'm dreadfully sorry, dreadfully! I love you like my
own child. And poor Malcolm will be heartbroken--but--you SEE."
She extended her hand in a gesture of utter helplessness. Stephen,
who had been fuming and repressing his rage with difficulty during the
scene, leaped forward with brandished fist.
"By gad!" he shouted. "Mal Dunn, you cad--"
His uncle pushed him back with a sweep of his arm.
"Steve," he ordered, "I'm runnin' this ship.
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