He'll
find out who's boss."
This speech had an effect. For the first time Hannah's determination
wavered. Kenelm was, although Caleb did not know it, actually engaged to
marry Imogene. His sister was even then writhing under the humiliation.
And here was an opportunity to get even, not only with Kenelm, but with
the "inmate." If she, Hannah, were to marry and leave the pair instead
of being herself left! Oh, the glory of it--the triumphant glory of it!
How she could crush her brother! How she could gloat over and sneer
at Imogene! The things she might say--she, the wife of a rich man! Oh,
wonderful!
"Well, come on, Hannah, come on," urged the impatient Caleb. "What do
you say?"
But Miss Parker still shook her head. "It ain't any use, Caleb," she
declared. "Even if--if I wanted to, how could I tell Kenelm? He'd raise
an awful fuss. He'd tell everybody and they--"
"No, he wouldn't. I'd break his neck if he did. . . . And--eh--" as
another idea came to him, "he needn't know till 'twas all over. We
could get married right off now, and not tell a soul--Kenelm or anybody
else--till it was done. Then they could talk or shut up, we wouldn't
care. They couldn't change nothin'."
"Caleb Hammond, do you suppose I'd have the face to go to a minister
in this town and have you tell him we'd come to get married? I'd be so
ashamed--"
"Hold on! We don't have to go to a minister in this town. There's other
towns with parsons in them, ain't they? We could drive over somewheres
else.
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