"All right, then I choose to tell you nothing, I have a perfect right to have friends telephone me, and I think it shows an ill-bred curiosity for you to ask their names!"
Azalea's would-be haughty face and her reference to ill-breeding struck Farnsworth so funny he laughed in spite of himself.
Azalea was quick to take advantage of this.
"Oh, Cousin William," she said, smilingly, "don't be hard on me. I'm only a wild Western girl, I know, but I'm--I'm your cousin and I claim your--your--"
Azalea didn't quite know what she _was_ claiming, but as it was really a cessation of the interview that she most desired, she turned on her heel and walked rapidly toward the house.
"Hold on!" cried Farnsworth, "not so fast, Zaly. Before you leave me, listen to this. I am not at all satisfied with what you have told me,--or, rather, what you have refused to tell me,--and I am going to write to your father, and ask him why he doesn't write to you."
Azalea stood still, facing him, and her face turned white.
"Oh, no!" she cried, in a tone of dismay, "you _mustn't_ do that!"
"But I will. There's no reason I shouldn't write to my relative. And I must get at the mystery of this thing."
"Don't do that, Cousin William, don't, I beg of you!" The girl was greatly excited now. Her face was drawn with terrified apprehension and her voice shook with fear.
"Why not?" Farnsworth demanded, and he grasped her arm as she tried to run away. "I'm going to have this out now, Azalea! _Why_ shan't I write to Uncle Thorpe?"
"Oh, _no_! He's--he's--gone away on a--a business trip."
"You're making up, Azalea,--I see it in your face. Tell me the truth about him. Has he married again?"
"You don't know where he is,--and yet you claim you had a letter from him!"
"Well, then, it was because you insisted on my getting a letter from him,--and--and that's the only way I could think of."
Azalea gave a half-smile, hoping Farnsworth would laugh, too.
But he did not. He said, sternly, "I can't understand you, Azalea. I don't want to misjudge you, but you must admit, yourself, that you're making it very hard for me. Why won't you tell me everything? If Uncle Thorpe disowned you,--cast you off,--or anything like that,--tell me; I'll take your part,--and I'll defend you."