Angela turned upon him, too angry to speak.

“Well, you need not look at me like that.  You surely never expect to see him again, do you?”

“If we both live, I shall certainly see him again; indeed, I shall, in any case.”

“You will never see him again.”

“Why not?”

“Because he was only flirting and playing the fool with you.  He is a notorious flirt, and, to my certain knowledge, has been engaged to two women before.”

“I do not believe that that is true, or, if it is true, it is not all the truth; but, true or untrue, I am not going to discuss Mr. Heigham with you, or allow myself to be influenced by stories told behind his back.”

“Angela,” said George, rising, and seizing her hand.

She turned quite pale, and a shudder passed over her frame.

“Leave my hand alone, and never dare to touch me again.  This is the second time that you have tried to insult me.”

“So!” answered George, furious with outraged pride and baffled passion, “you set up your will against mine, do you?  Very well, you shall see.  I will crush you to powder.  Insult you, indeed!  How often did that young blackguard insult you?  I warrant he did more than take your hand.”

“If,” answered Angela, “you mean Mr. Heigham, I shall leave you to consider whether that term is not more applicable to the person who does his best to outrage an unprotected woman, and take advantage of the absent, than to the gentleman against whom you have used it;” and, darting on him one glance of supreme contempt, she swept away like an angry queen.

Left to his meditations, George shook his fist towards where she had vanished.

“Very well, my fine lady, very well,” he said, aloud.  “You treat me as so much dirt, do you?  You shall smart for this, so sure as my name is George Caresfoot.  Only wait till you are in my power, and you shall learn that I was never yet defied with impunity.  Oh, and you shall learn many other things also.”

From that time forward, Angela was, for a period of two months or more, subjected to an organized persecution as harassing as it was cruel.  George waylaid her everywhere, and twice actually succeeded in entering into conversation with her, but on both occasions she managed to escape from him before he could proceed any further.  So persistently did he hunt her, that at last the wretched girl was driven to hide herself away in odd corners of the house and woods, in order to keep out of his way.  Then he took to writing her letters, and sending handsome presents, all of which she returned.