Not on my account; on yours.' 'Goodness! As if anything in connection with you could hurt me,' she said with serene supremacy; but seeing that this plan of treatment was inappropriate, she tuned a smaller note.

'Ah, I know why you will not come.

You don't want to.

You'll go home to London and to all the stirring people there, and will never want to see us any more!' 'You know I have no such reason.' 'And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to, just as before.' 'What does that mean?
I am not engaged.' 'You wrote a letter to a Miss Somebody; I saw it in the letter-rack.' 'Pooh! an elderly woman who keeps a stationer's shop; and it was to tell her to keep my newspapers till I get back.' 'You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all.' Miss Elfride was rather relieved to hear that statement, nevertheless.

'And you won't come again to see my father ?' she insisted.
'I should like to--and to see you again, but----' 'Will you reveal to me that matter you hide ?' she interrupted petulantly.
'No; not now.' She could not but go on, graceless as it might seem.
'Tell me this,' she importuned with a trembling mouth.