"Whether or not she stays here is more my business and Prudence's
business than it is yours," said the old man. "But there's one thing
sure, and you may as well l'arn it first as last: you're not to
speak to her nor do anything else to annoy her. Understand?"
"You--you--"
"Heed what I tell ye!" said Cap'n Ira, grim-lipped and with flashing
eyes. "You interfere with that girl in any way and it won't be her
I'll put out o' the house. I'll put you out--night though it is--and
you'll march yourself down to the port and to the Widder Pauling's
alone. Understand me?"
There was silence again in the kitchen, save for Prudence's pitiful
sobbing.
* * * * *
In Tunis Latham's mind as he came up from the port four days later
was visioned no part of the tragedy which had occurred at the Ball
homestead during his absence on this last voyage to Boston. He had
suffered trouble enough during the trip even to dull the smart of
Sheila's renunciation of him before he had left the Head. Indeed, he
could scarcely realize even now that she had meant what she
said--that she could mean it!
So brief had been their dream of love--only since that recent Sunday
when they walked the beaches about the foot of Wreckers' Head--that
it seemed to the captain of the _Seamew_ it could not be so soon
over.
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