She pressed close to him; he could feel her softly panting against his side, her head sunk on his shoulder.

"I've been worrying about it all these months," she said in his ear.

Her soft curly hair brushed his cheek, but her little transient influence over him was all gone.

He felt angry and ashamed.
"I haven't thought anything about it," he said, brusquely.
Rose sobbed faintly, but she did not move away from him.

Suddenly that cruel repulsion which seizes mankind towards reptiles and unsought love seized Barney.