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I know what you've been doing. Frank does, too. You're trying to railroad him to prison for
something he didn't do--and all on account of me. Oh, I know. But you won't hurt him. You can't!
He's bigger and finer than you think he is and you won't hurt him in the long run. He'll get out
again. You want to punish him on my account; but he doesn't care. I'll marry him anyhow. I love
him, and I'll wait for him and marry him, and you can do what you please. So there!"
"Ye'll marry him, will you?" asked Butler, nonplussed and further astounded. "So ye'll wait for
him and marry him? Ye'll take him away from his wife and children, where, if he were half a
man, he'd be stayin' this minute instead of gallivantin' around with you. And marry him? Ye'd
disgrace your father and yer mother and yer family? Ye'll stand here and say this to me, I that
have raised ye, cared for ye, and made somethin' of ye? Where would you be if it weren't for me
and your poor, hard-workin' mother, schemin' and plannin' for you year in and year out? Ye're
smarter than I am, I suppose. Ye know more about the world than I do, or any one else that
might want to say anythin' to ye. I've raised ye to be a fine lady, and this is what I get. Talk
about me not bein' able to understand, and ye lovin' a convict-to-be, a robber, an embezzler, a
bankrupt, a lyin', thavin'--"
"Father!" exclaimed Aileen, determinedly. "I'll not listen to you talking that way. He's not any of
the things that you say. I'll not stay here." She moved toward the door; but Butler jumped up
now and stopped her. His face for the moment was flushed and swollen with anger. 
"But I'm not through with him yet," he went on, ignoring her desire to leave, and addressing her
direct--confident now that she was as capable as another of understanding him. "I'll get him as
sure as I have a name. There's law in this land, and I'll have it on him. I'll show him whether he'll
come sneakin' into dacent homes and robbin' parents of their children."
He paused after a time for want of breath and Aileen stared, her face tense and white. Her
father could be so ridiculous. He was, contrasted with Cowperwood and his views, so old-
fashioned. To think he could be talking of some one coming into their home and stealing her
away from him, when she had been so willing to go. What silliness! And yet, why argue? What
good could be accomplished, arguing with him here in this way? And so for the moment, she
said nothing more--merely looked. But Butler was by no means done. His mood was too stormy
even though he was doing his best now to subdue himself. 
"It's too bad, daughter," he resumed quietly, once he was satisfied that she was going to have
little, if anything, to say. "I'm lettin' my anger get the best of me. It wasn't that I intended talkin' to
ye about when I ast ye to come in. It's somethin' else I have on me mind. I was thinkin',
perhaps, ye'd like to go to Europe for the time bein' to study music. Ye're not quite yourself just
at present. Ye're needin' a rest. It would be good for ye to go away for a while. Ye could have a
nice time over there. Norah could go along with ye, if you would, and Sister Constantia that
taught you. Ye wouldn't object to havin' her, I suppose?"
At the mention of this idea of a trip of Europe again, with Sister Constantia and music thrown in
to give it a slightly new form, Aileen bridled, and yet half-smiled to herself now. It was so
ridiculous--so tactless, really, for her father to bring up this now, and especially after denouncing
Cowperwood and her, and threatening all the things he had. Had he no diplomacy at all where
she was concerned? It was really too funny! But she restrained herself here again, because she
felt as well as saw, that argument of this kind was all futile now.
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