He had sat down then.
"Mary, didn't you hear me ?" he demanded.
"Yes, sir, but--Father, I _can't_ go back to that school," I choked.
And I began to cry.
"But I tell you that you must." I shook my head.
"I can't." "Do you mean that you defy me as you did your Aunt Jane this morning ?--that you refuse to go back to school ?" "Yes, sir." For a minute he sat and stared at me just as Aunt Jane had done; then he lifted his head and threw back his shoulders as if he was throwing off a heavy weight.
"Come, come, Mary," he said sternly.

"I am not a patient man, and my temper has reached the breaking point.

You will go back to school and you will go now.

I mean that, Mary." "But, Father, I _can't_" I choked again; and I guess there was something in my face this time that made even him see.

For again he just stared for a minute, and then said: "Mary, what in the world does this mean?
Why can't you go back?
Have you been--expelled ?" "Oh, no, sir." "Then you mean you won't go back." "I mean I _can't_--on account of Mother." I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't had to.