"What a mistake I made, Jack!" she cried, and stretched out her hands
toward him.

He fell back a step.

"Nonsense!" he said. He glanced sharply at her.

"How stupid you are!" she exclaimed.

She half rose from her chair with her hands still extended toward him.
For a moment he met her glance, and then, disgusted and ashamed,
withdrew his eyes from hers.

Evelyn sank back in her chair, and her face turned white and she covered
it with her hands. North was the first to break the silence.

"We would both of us better forget this," he said quietly.

She rose and stood at his side. The color had returned to her cheeks.

"What a fool you are, John North!" she jeered softly. "And I might have
made the tragic mistake of really caring for you!" She gave a little
shiver of dismay, and then after a moment's tense silence: "What a boy
you are,--almost as much of a boy as when we used to play together."

"I think there is nothing more to say, Evelyn," North said shortly. "It
is growing late. You must not be seen leaving here!"

She laughed.