The Lonely Bride by Fred M. White

Grace stood there looking down to the landing below with a feeling that she had by no means bettered her position. She could see down in the hall two or three figures standing around some object which lay prone upon the floor. The girl's dismay increased when at length she made out that the object was nothing more or less than Bessie Fenton. The man who had so recently entered the bedroom emerged again, and joined the group in the hall.

-"What an infernal shame it is," somebody was saying. "Why does the old man knock the girl about in this fashion?"