conscious of doing part of the
evening, I really conversed. Indeed, to speak modestly, I think I was
rather interesting. I had forgotten what he had called for. So had
he--apparently.

All I hoped was that he did not intend to bore me with frequent
repetitions of this call. I had better use for my evenings than such
waste of time as chatting with him. I cast about me for some suitable
excuse to shut off future inflictions, and at last hit upon one that I
thought might answer.

"I suppose I must sacrifice myself for a while," I said cheerfully; "I
have had a deal of business swoop down upon me, and in order to dispatch
it, must shut myself up for a time, and forego the joys of society."

Instantly his old embarrassment came back upon him, as a small boy's
enemy--supposed to be vanquished--darts around the corner, and renews the
attack.

He started to go; came back; returned to the door; again came back;
colored vividly--looked at me imploringly. And as I looked at him my
anger, my coldness--all vanished, and I exclaimed:

"Randolph Chance, why _don't_ you say it!"

"Some things are awfully hard to say. I can write---- Oh Constance! you
might have mercy on me!"

"Well," I said, laughing--I could almost see the light upon my face--"I
suppose you want me to marry you."

"You can't get away now!" he cried, a second later.

The walls heard a much-smothered voice--

"I don't want to."

Now this little scene, I suppose, is what makes Randolph always say I
proposed to him. This remark, oft repeated, sometimes under very trying
circumstances, is his one disagreeableness. But I let it pass without
comment, for I realize it is the spout to the kettle, and I am thankful
that the steam has so safe and harmless an outlet. If I were to boil him
too hard, he would probably overflow, and dim the fire; but I am _very
cautious_, and love still burns with a clear, bright flame.

THE END.

[Transcriber's Note: The table below lists all corrections applied to
the original text.

p. 032: [removed stray quote] "I didn't care for this picnic
p. 050: [normalized] they were wellnigh exhausted -> well-nigh
p. 056: [extra comma] any comment on her neighbors' affairs, was alien to her.
p. 152: Their's is the place -> Theirs
p. 182: [added speaker change] beyond his years. I have never thought
p. 187: [normalized] most common-place conversation -> commonplace
p. 189: [changed to long dash] I can