Goodbye, my love!"
He drew her to his breast and kissed her, and with a look of fervent,
sorrowful love, was leaving the room, when Richard entered by another
door. He intercepted the glance, and returned it to John with one of
contemptuous defiant anger. It did not help to soothe Richard that
John looked unusually handsome. There was a fire and persuasion in
his face, a tenderness and grace in his manner, that was very
irritating, and Richard could neither control his hands nor his tongue.
He began at once to feel for his pistol. "Why is John Millard here?" he
asked of Phyllis. "Answer me that."
"He is here to promise me that he will not put the name of Phyllis
Fontaine in the month of every drunken gambler and scornful man and
woman to satisfy his own selfish, false pride."
"He is too big a coward to fight a gentleman, he prefers fighting
half-armed savages; but I propose to honor his behavior with more
attention than it deserves unless he runs away."
"John, dear John, do not mind what Richard says now. He will be sorry
for it. If you care for me, ever so little, you will not fight about
me. The shame would kill me. I don't deserve it. I will never marry
a man who drags my name into a quarrel. Richard, for our mother's sake,
be yourself. Brother, you ought to protect me! I appeal to you! For
God's sake, dear Richard, give me that pistol!"
"Phyllis," said John, "I will go.
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