She mastered herself with an effort. "No, thank you. I am quite all right. Of course Bunny’s welfare comes before everything and always will with me. Do you know, I think I will run up to him and see that he has all he wants."
"No, my girl, no! You stay where you are!" said Jake. "I’ve got him in hand. Don’t you go making more trouble!"
She glanced at him with quick uneasiness. "But is he happy? Is he comfortable? I never leave him for long when he is like this. Once he dragged himself right out of bed and on to the floor. He was worse for weeks after."
But she was not reassured. "He may. How can you tell? He can be quite violent sometimes."
"He won’t be to-night," said Jake with unmistakable conviction.
"What have you been doing to him?" she said, with quick suspicion.
He put a restraining hand upon her for she seemed on the verge of rising. "Now, don’t you meddle!" he said. "The boy will be all right; only leave him alone! He won’t come to any mischief because he can’t. I’ve tied him down. No, he ain’t uncomfortable," as she uttered a sharp cry of protest. "I saw to that before I put out the light and left him to come to his senses. He won’t hurt, I tell you. You leave him alone!"
But Maud was already on her feet. "How could you?" she panted. "How dare you?"
He rose with her, still holding her. "Now be reasonable!" he said, in a voice of soft persuasion. "I’m real fond of the little chap, and I’m trying to make a man of him. He knows that all right. It’s discipline he wants and discipline he’s going to have. Don’t you get interfering! You’ll do more harm than good."
She was white to the lips as she said it, white and desperate. Her eyes burned like two stars. But Jake held her still.
"Say, now!" he drawled. "Aren’t you a bit unreasonable? I’ve taken a lot of trouble to bring him into line. And, as I tell you, I haven’t hurt any part of him, except his pride, and that’ll soon mend. Maud, my girl, now don’t act the fool! Don’t, I say, don’t!"
She had made a sharp effort to wrest her arm free; but he frustrated it, taking her two wrists very gently but very decidedly into his square hold.
"Let me go!" she cried again, her pale lips trembling. "How--how dare you hold me against my will? Jake, you--forget yourself!"