"We've kept our word, gal," she says harshly, "and we know that after to-day ye may take some queer fancies. Now, this paper is ter signify that we have acted fairly by ye, and ter bind ye not ter make us any trouble hereafter."

Leslie's eyes rove slowly from one to the other. She feels that the end has come, and with the last remnant of her courage she keeps back the despairing cry that rises to her lips.

As she gazes, Franz Francoise makes a sudden movement as if to s.n.a.t.c.h up the paper, then as suddenly withdraws his hand.

"Wot's in that paper?" he asks, turning to Mamma.

"Ye know well enough," retorts the old woman tartly. "We've promised her the gal, and she's promised not to inform agin us. We're goin' to stick to our bargain, and we want her to stick to hers."

And she pushes the pen and ink toward Leslie. But the latter does not heed the motion.

"Oh," she cries, half rising and clasping her hands in intense appeal, "is it true? Is she indeed so near me? Shall I have her back?"

"Yes, yes." Mamma grows impatient, "Sign this and then--"

Franz leans forward and puts one finger upon the folded paper.

"Once agin," says he sharply, "what's that?"

"It's a simple little paper, Franzy," breaks in Papa rea.s.suringly, "jest to 'stablish our innocence, in case your new wife should happen to forgit her promise. It's nothing that'll affect you."

"Umph," grunts Franz, eyeing the pair suspiciously, "that's it, is it."

Then, turning to Leslie: "Read that paper, gal."

But Papa puts out his hand.

"It's only a little form, my dear boy."

"Wal," with growing aggressiveness, "let her read the little form."

"It's only a waste o' time," breaks in Mamma impatiently, "an' the sooner it's signed, the sooner she'll--"

"Only a waste of time." The words awaken Leslie's almost benumbed senses. Time; that is just what this discussion is gaining for her, for Stanhope! Since their entrance, she has not opened her lips; now she interrupts Mamma's discourse.

"Let me read the paper," she says.

By a quick movement, Papa extracts the paper from beneath the finger of his Prodigal, and holding it tightly, steps back from the table.

"It's wasting time," he says, "an' it's only a little form."

Then Leslie draws herself up to her fullest height, and stepping back from the table says:

"I will sign no paper that I have not read."

With a sudden movement Franz springs upon Papa, wrests the paper from his grasp, and pa.s.ses it over Mamma's shoulder to Leslie. Then he turns fiercely upon the pair.

"If ye could read, Franz Francoise," shrieks Mamma, in a burst of incautious rage, "ye'd never a-done that thing!"

"Kerrect!" retorts Franz, with a malicious grin, "I'd a-read it myself.

Not bein' able to do that, I'd sooner take her word fer it than your'n."

Again Papa comes forward and lays a hand upon the arm of his son.

"Franzy," he says deprecatingly, "ye don't know what ye are doin'."

"Don't I?" sneers Franz. "Wal I'm goin' ter find out shortly."

A sudden exclamation from Leslie causes him to turn quickly. She is gazing at the paper with a bewildered face.

"What is it?" he asked peremptorily.

"This paper," exclaims Leslie, "would bind me to make over one third of any property I am or may become possessed of to those two and--"

"What!" Again Franz makes a movement as if about to seize the paper, then, dropping his hand, he repeats: "To those two?" pointing to Papa and Mamma; "and don't it make no mention o' _me_?"

"Now Franz--" remonstrates Mamma.

"You shut up! Say, gal, does that doc.u.ment leave _me_ out?"

Leslie's eyes scan the page. "It does not name you," she falters.

"Oh, it don't! Wal," stepping to her side and taking the paper from her, "wal, then, we won't sign it."

As he crumples it in his hand, Leslie moves toward Mamma Francoise, seeming in one moment to have mastered all her fears.

"This paper," she says, turning her clear eyes upon Mamma, "confirms what I have suspected, ever since you proposed this marriage with your son, as the price of little Daisy's deliverance. You know the secret of my birth and believe me to be an heiress. You stole little Daisy to compel me to _this_,"--pointing at the paper in the hand of Franz--"and since your son has returned, you would strengthen your own position while you enrich him. It was a clever plot, but overdone. Give me the pen, give me the paper. Rather than leave little Daisy longer at your mercy, I would resign to you an hundred fortunes were they mine."

She moves toward the table, but Franz is before her.

"Oh, no!" he says, quietly; "I guess not! I don't seem to cut much of a figure in that little transaction on paper, but I'm blessed if I don't hold my own in this business. Ye can't sign that paper; not yet."

Leslie turns from him and again addresses Mamma.

"Listen to me," she says. "I know your scheme now, and I know how to deal with you. I never meant to marry this man. I never will. You want money; give me back little Daisy, and I will sign this paper, or any other you may frame. And I will swear never to complain against you, never to molest you, never to reveal the secret of these awful weeks.

There let it end: I will _never_ marry your son!"

With a sudden motion, Mamma turns upon Franz, and attempts to s.n.a.t.c.h the paper from his hand.

"Give me that paper, boy!" she fairly hisses.

But he repulses her savagely, and thrusts the paper into his breast.

"Take care, old woman!" he exclaims hotly. "I ain't your son for nothing; what do ye take me for?"

His words are interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"Do ye hear that?" he hisses. "Now, that parson's coming in to finish this marryin' business, or I'm goin' right out of here, and the gal along with me, if I have to cut my way straight through ye! The gal can sign the paper if she likes, but she'll sign it Leschen Francoise, or she'll never sign it at all!"

And before they can guess his intentions, he has caught Leslie up and fairly carried her to the outer room. In a flutter of fear and rage, Mamma follows, and Papa hovers in the open doorway.