"Oh, why
did you carry me away?"
"I'll tell you why," answered Dick, jocularly. "You see, Ida, we
ain't got any little girl to love us, and so we got you."
"But I don't love you, and I never shall," said Ida, indignantly.
"Now don't you go to saying that," said Dick. "You'll break my
heart, you will, and then Peg will be a widow."
To give effect to this pathetic speech, Dick drew out a tattered red
handkerchief, and made a great demonstration of wiping his eyes.
The whole scene was so ludicrous that Ida, despite her fears and
disgust, could not help laughing hysterically. She recovered herself
instantly, and said, imploringly, "Oh, do let me go, and father will
pay you; I'm sure he will."
"You really think he would?" said Dick.
"Oh, yes; and you'll tell her to carry me back, won't you?"
"No, he won't tell me any such thing," said Peg, gruffly; "and if he
did, I wouldn't do it; so you might as well give up all thoughts of
that first as last. You're going to stay here; so take off that
bonnet of yours, and say no more about it."
Ida made no motion towards obeying this mandate.
"Then I'll do it for you," said Peg.
She roughly untied the bonnet, Ida struggling vainly in opposition,
and taking this with the shawl, carried them to a closet, in which
she placed them, and then, locking the door, deliberately put the
key in her pocket.
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