Miss Allen was still with the Beckets, as I knew; but she was only going to stay a few months more.

One of the children had died, and the other two were to be sent to a boarding-school in England.

Again I went through the proposing ordeal, and again it was useless.

'Confound it!' I shouted, 'do deal honestly with me! What's the matter?
Are you engaged already ?' She kept silent for a long time, then said 'Yes!' 'Then why in the name of the Jotuns didn't you tell me so before ?' I was brutal (as I often am), and the poor girl began to cry.

Then there was a scene--positive stage business.