an dared take
the liberties he had taken with her, she would have despised him, but
with him, though she was unable to explain it, things were somehow
different. She was furious with him for kissing her, and yet deep down
in her inner consciousness she was not so certain that she was sorry he
had done so. The things he did, which would have branded any other man
as a cad, were the very things the man of her dreams might have done
under similar circumstances. Yet she shuddered as she daily foresaw the
consequences that might ensue should she encourage him further.
Flirting with a man whose high-handed, arbitrary methods dazed rather
than offended her, was becoming dangerous.

Self-preservation being always our first thought, she had decided to
fly, but the presence of Blanch rendered such a course impossible. The
only alternative left her was to extricate herself as swiftly and
gracefully as possible from her dilemma by making herself as
disagreeable as possible in his eyes. In this wise she hoped to
disillusion him, and it was with this intention she had come forth to
meet him. She could not see him from where she sat, having turned her
back upon him; but, judging from the length of time it took him to
approach, she rightly conjectured that he had been walking in a circle,
doubtless at a loss what course to pursue. The silence that ensued when
he paused behind her was broken only by the sound of his labored
breathing and a nervous cough, plainly betraying the embarrassment he
felt on finding himself once more in her presence.

"Miss Van Ashton," he said at length, "it is extremely gratifying to
know that you have at last decided to leave the oppressive walls of your
inhospitable abode for the world of sunshine without, where the essence
and being of all things fill one with a desire to live." Nothing he
could have said at the moment could have aroused her resentment more
than this idiotic speech. She had expected him to eat humble pie, to
throw himself at her feet and implore forgiveness; but, no! She sprang
to her feet and facing him, turned a pair of beautiful blazing eyes upon
him. She was so furious she choked, and for some moments was quite
unable to speak.

"I suppose," she said at last, her voice trembling with suppressed
indignation, "that you take pleasure in pursuing a helpless woman like a
hunted beast. It's so manly," she added scathingly, looking in vain for
some sign of contrition in his face. "Why," sh