'Twas thus her own thoughts shaped themselves, though she never uttered a syllable to her daughter in disparagement of the man.

This was the girl's chance.

Was she to rob her of it?
And yet, of all her duties, was not the duty of protecting her girl the highest and the dearest that she owned?
If the man meant well by her girl, she would wash his feet with her hair, kiss the hem of his garments, and love the spot on which she had first seen him stand like a young sea-god.

But if evil,--if he meant evil to her girl, if he should do evil to her Kate,--then she knew that there was so much of the tiger within her bosom as would serve to rend him limb from limb.

With such thoughts as these she had hardly ever left them together.