him. That kind of thing will have to stop. I'm not going to think
any more of him, and it's better to make him understand it at once
--isn't it?'

Emmeline heartily concurred.

'Still,' pursued the other, with an air of great satisfaction, 'I
thought I had better go home for this afternoon. Because when he
didn't see me on the Common he was pretty sure to call at the house,
and I didn't want mother or Cissy to be talking about me to him
before he had heard my own explanation.'

'Didn't you answer the letter?' asked Emmeline.

'No. I just sent a line to mother, to let her know I was coming over
to-day, so that she might stay at home. Well, and it happened just
as I thought. Mr. Cobb came to the house at half-past three. But
before that I'd had a terrible row with Cissy. That isn't a nice
expression, I know, but it really was one of our worst quarrels. Mr.
Bowling hasn't been near since I left, and Cissy is furious. She
said such things that I had to tell her very plainly what I thought
of her; and she positively foamed at the mouth! "Now look here," she
said, "if I find out that he goes to Sutton, you'll see what will
happen." "_What_ will happen?" I asked. "Father will stop your
allowance, and you'll have to get on as best you can." "Oh, very
well," I said, "in that case I shall marry Mr. Bowling." You should
have seen her rage! "You said you wouldn't marry him if he had ten
thousand a year!" she screamed. "I dare say I did; but if I've
nothing to live upon--" "You can marry your Mr. Cobb, can't you?"
And she almost cried; and I should have felt sorry for her if she