"Barely ten dollars," he said. "It would have lasted but a few days, and,
my darling, what would have become of you then?"
He bent over her in grave tenderness.
"I don't know, Ned," she replied; "I suppose I'd have had to look for
employment."
"To think of you, my little, delicate, petted darling, looking for
employment by which to earn your daily bread!" he exclaimed with emotion.
"It is plain you know nothing of the hardships and difficulties you would
have had to encounter. I shudder to think of it all. But I should never
have let it come to that."
"Would you have looked for me, Ned?"
"I should have begun the search the instant I heard of your flight, nor
ever have known a moment's rest till I found you!" he exclaimed with
energy. "But as I came in the stage you purposed to take, I should have
met and brought you back, if that fortunate mishap had not taken place."
Then she told him of her thoughts, feelings, and painful anticipations
while held fast in the relentless grasp of the door, finishing with, "Oh,
I never could have dreamed that it would all end so well, so happily for
me!"
"And yet, dear one, I do not think you at all realize how painful--not to
say dreadful--would have been the consequences to you, to me, and, indeed,
to all the family, if you had succeeded in carrying out what I must call
your crazy scheme.
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