Mrs.Hanway-Harley flowed on, sometimes eloquent, always severe, and closed in with a thunder-gust of tears.
Senator Hanway listened, first with wonder, then alarm; when she finished he sat with an air of helplessness.

After rubbing his nose irresolutely with a pen-holder, he said: "What can I do ?" "You can advise me." "Well, then," observed Senator Hanway, looking right and left, being no one to face an angry woman, "why don't you let them marry ?" "Brother!" Mrs.Hanway-Harley strove to bury Senator Hanway beneath a mountain of reproach with that one word.
"What can you do ?" asked Senator Hanway defensively.

"You say that Dorothy declares she will marry young Storms in the teeth of every opposition." "Are we to permit the foolish girl to throw herself away ?" "But how will you restrain her ?" "One thing," exclaimed Mrs.Hanway-Harley, getting up to go; "that person, after to-morrow, shall never enter these doors! I shall have but one word; I shall warn him not to repeat his visits to this house." The change that came over Senator Hanway struck Mrs.Hanway-Harley with dumb dismay.

His eye, which had been prying about for an easiest way out of the dilemma, now filled with threatening interest.
"Barbara, sit down!" commanded Senator Hanway.
Mrs.Hanway-Harley sat down; she was, with the last word, in awe of her eminent brother.

Senator Hanway arose and towered above her with forbidding brow.