"I don't care what you want," said Martin, roughly."You've got to come with me, anyhow. As for your brother, I don't want him. He'd be trying to kidnap you again. I might have put him in prison for it; but I'll let him go this time, if you don't make any fuss."
"What is the matter?" asked a policeman, who came up as Rose was struggling weakly in the grasp of her stepfather. "What are you pulling along the little girl for?"
"Because she won't come without," said Martin. "She ran away from home with her brother a few weeks ago, and I've just found her."
"Is that true?" asked the policeman, not particularly prepossessed in Martin's favor by his personal appearance, his face being unusually inflamed by his morning potations. His question was of course directed to Rose.
"No, I aint his child now," said Rose. "Rufie has the care of me."
"He's a young rascal," said Martin, "up to all sorts of mischief. He'll lie and steal, and anything else that's bad. He aint fit to have charge of Rose."
"It isn't true," said the little girl, indignantly. "He doesn't lie nor steal. He's the best boy that ever lived."
"I haven't anything to do with that," said the policeman. "The question is, is this your father?"
"He was mother's husband," said Rose, reluctantly.
"Don't let him take me away," said Rose, imploringly.
"If he's your stepfather, I can't stop him. But, hark you, my man, I advise you to be kind to the little girl. If you are not, I hope she'll run away from you. You look as if you'd been drinking pretty hard this morning."
"It's the trouble I've had about her that made me drink," said Martin, apologetically. "I was afraid she wasn't taken good care of. Come along now, Rose. He says you must go."
"Let me go and speak to Miss Manning first," entreated Rose. "I've got a spool of cotton I've just bought for her."
"I'm not such a fool as that," said Martin. "I've looked for you long enough, and now I've got you I mean to hold on to you."
"But Miss Manning won't know where I am," pleaded Rose.
"It's none of her business where you are. She aint no relation of yours."
"She was kind enough to keep you away from me, she hasn't anything to do with you, and I don't mean she shall ever see you again."
Poor Rose! the thought that she was to be forever separated from her kind friend, Miss Manning, smote her with a sharp sorrow, and she began to cry bitterly.