"
Then Daisy, with some broken sobs, and with a piteous light in her
blue eyes, told Noel the whole cruel story. He listened without once
interrupting the little narrator. When she had finished, he kissed
her, and told her that she now had nothing to fear, and then, bidding
her sleep away all her troubles, he left her to Primrose's care. By
the next train he himself went to London in full time to attend Dove's
trial.
That worthy was at first inclined to brazen matters out, but when
Noel, primed with Daisy's confession, appeared on the scene, his face
underwent a remarkable change. Its rubicund tints quite deserted it,
an alarming pallor spreading over every feature. Tommy Dove, who might
have been seen in a foremost position amongst the crowd of spectators,
was heard audibly to exclaim--
"Law, I guess there ain't no leg for my respected pa to stand on now!"
This, although not expressed aloud, seemed also to be Dove's opinion,
for he then and there made a full confession of his wicked practices,
and of the cruel threats he had employed to terrify Daisy. He received
his sentence, which was a severe one, with much stoicism, and, as he
was led away from his place in the prisoner's dock, addressed a
parting word to his affectionate and hysterical spouse--
"Never mind, Mrs.
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