It was as if he wildly rejoiced that she
had spoken the word.
"Yes, he's a liar--a liar!" he shrilled. "He's a liar and a bully and a
coward. He'd--he'd be a murderer if he dared--but he daren't." And
his face dropped on his arms folded on his crutch, and he broke into
a passion of crying. Then Betty knew she might go to him. She went and
knelt down and put her arm round him.
"Ughtred," she said, "cry, if you like, I should do it, if I were you.
But I tell you it can all be altered--and it shall be."
He seemed quite like a little boy when he put out his hand to hers and
spoke sobbingly:
"She--she says--that because you have only just come from America--and
in America people--can do things--you will think you can do things
here--and you don't know. He will tell lies about you lies you can't
bear. She sat wringing her hands when she thought of it. She won't
let you be hurt because you want to help her." He stopped abruptly and
clutched her shoulder.
"Aunt Betty! Aunt Betty--whatever happens--whatever he makes her seem
like--you are to know that it is not true. Now you have come--now she
has seen you it would KILL her if you were driven away and thought she
wanted you to go.
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