ye."

"I can't let you go like this. Let me drive you home."

"Home!" laughed Mavis scornfully. "I've no home."

"Really no home?"

"I haven't a soul in the world who cares what becomes of me: not a
friend in the world. And all I valued you've soiled. It made me hate
you, and nothing will ever alter it. Good-bye."

She turned away. The man followed.

"Look here, I'll tell you all about myself, which shows my intentions
are straight."

"It wouldn't interest me."

"Why not? You liked me before--before that happened, and, when you've
forgiven me, there's no reason why you shouldn't like me again."

"There's every reason."

"My name's Windebank--Archibald Windebank. I'm in the service, and my
home is Haycock Abbey, near Melkbridge--"

"You gave me your wrong name!" cried Mavis, who, now that she knew that
the man was the friend of her early days, seized on any excuse to get
away from him.

"But--"

"Don't follow me. Good-bye."

She crossed the road. He came after her and seized her arm.

"Don't be a fool!" he cried.

"You've hurt me. You're capable of anything," she cried.

"Rot!"

"Oh, you brute, to hurt a girl!"

"I've done nothing of the kind. It would almost have served you right
if I had, for being such a little fool. Listen to me--you shall
listen," he added, as Mavis strove to leave him.

His voice compelled submission. She looked at him, to see that his face
was tense with anger. She found that she did not hate him so much,
although she said, as if to satisfy her conscience for listening to him:

"Do you want to insult me again?"

"I want to tell you what a fool you are, in chucking away a chance of
lifelong happiness, because you're upset at what I did, when, finding
you in that house, I'd every excuse for doing."

"Lifelong happiness?" cried Mavis scornfully.

"You're a woman I could devote my life to. I want to know all about
you. Oh, don't be a damn little fool!"

"You're somebody: I'm a nobody. Much better let me go."

"Of course if you want to--"

"Of course I do."

"Then let me see you into a cab."

"A cab! I always go by 'bus, when I can afford it."

"Good heavens! Here, let me drive you home."

"I shouldn't have said that. I'm overwrought to-night. When I'm in
work, I'm ever so rich. I know you mean kindly. Let me go."

"I'll do nothing of the kind. It's all very important to me. I'm going
to drive you home."

He caught hold of her arm, the while he hailed a pass