you."

The uncompromising directness of these brats, their gross ill-
mannerliness, was a matter of which Bob made constant complaint to his
mother. The belief that he observed a twitch at the corner of Mary's
mouth served further to harden his tones.

He said: "Look here, you run away when I tell you, or I'll see you
don't come out here any more."

"Why?"

Bob swallowed. It was necessary before he spoke to clear his tongue of
the emotions that surged upon it.

Angela, in the pause, entreated David: "Oh, don't keep saying 'Why?',
David," and before he could ask the reason she addressed Bob: "We
won't go for you. If Miss Humf'ay tells us to go, _then_ we will go."

Bob looked at Mary. "I only want to speak to you for a minute."

Amongst the slippery apprehensions in which she had taken flight Mary
had struggled to the comfortable rock that Bob's appearance must have
been chance, not deliberate--how should he have known where to seek
them? Sure ground, too, was made by the belief that it were well to
take the apology with which doubtless he had come--well to be on good
terms.

Encouraged by these supports, "Shoo!" she cried to her charges. "Don't
you hear what your brother asks?"