Perhaps he did mean to slight her, after all, though nobody ever had before, and how she had followed him up! She walked on very fast; they were nearly home.

When they reached her gate, she said good-night, quickly, and would have gone in without another word, but Jerome stopped her.

He had begun to understand her understanding of it all, and had taken a sudden resolution.

"Better anything than she should think herself shamed and slighted," he told himself.
"Will you wait just a minute ?" he said; "I've got something I want to say." Lucina waited, her face averted.
"I've made up my mind to tell you why I thought I ought not to come, that Sunday night," said Jerome; "I didn't think of telling you, but I can see now that you may think I meant to slight you, if I don't.

I did not think at first that you could dream I _could_ slight anybody like you, and not want to go to see you, but I begin to see that you don't just know how every one looks at you." "I thought I ought not to come, because all of a sudden I found out that I was--what they call in love with you." Lucina stood perfectly still, her face turned away.
"I hope you are not offended," said Jerome; "I knew, of course, that there is no question of--your liking me.