poor face was flushed. "See here--see here!"

"No, I won't; but I must leave you now," she went on as if not hearing
him.

"See here--see here!" He tried, from the bench, to take her hand again.

But that definitely settled it for her: this would, after all, be as bad
as his asking her to supper. "You mustn't come with me--no, no!"

He sank back, quite blank, as if she had pushed him. "I mayn't see you
home?"

"No, no; let me go." He looked almost as if she had struck him, but she
didn't care; and the manner in which she spoke--it was literally as if
she were angry--had the force of a command. "Stay where you are!"

"See here--see here!" he nevertheless pleaded.

"I won't give you up!" she cried once more--this time quite with passion;
on which she got away from him as fast as she could and left him staring
after her.




CHAPTER XVIII


Mr. Mudge had lately been so occupied with their famous "plans" that he