I am going away." "Not from Devil's Ford ?" she asked, in half-incredulous astonishment.
"At least, not for long ?" "I am not coming back," he replied.
"But this is very abrupt," she said hurriedly, feeling that in some ridiculous way she had precipitated an equally ridiculous catastrophe.
"Surely you are not going away in this fashion, without saying good-by to Jessie and--and father ?" "I shall see your father, of course--and you will give my regards to Miss Jessie." He evidently was in earnest.

Was there ever anything so perfectly preposterous?
She became indignant.
"Of course," she said coldly, "I won't detain you; your business must be urgent, and I forgot--at least I had forgotten until to-day--that you have other duties more important than that of squire of dames.

I am afraid this forgetfulness made me think you would not part from us in quite such a business fashion.

I presume, if you had not met me just now, we should none of us have seen you again ?" He did not reply.
"Will you say good-by, Miss Carr ?" He held out his hand.
"One moment, Mr.Kearney.If I have said anything which you think justifies this very abrupt leave-taking, I beg you will forgive and forget it--or, at least, let it have no more weight with you than the idle words of any woman.

I only spoke generally.