t suppose that I should not care to call you Tom either, and yet
should wish to call you something, don't you know? That might happen.'

Lushington did not answer at once, and Margaret was a little
displeased, for she had said more than she had ever meant to say to
show him what she was beginning to feel. She held her head rather high
as they walked on under the great trees, and her eyes sparkled coldly
now and then.

She had known for a long time that he loved her, and to-day he had told
her so, almost roughly; and for some time, also, she had understood
that she was growing fond of him. But now that she held out her hand,
metaphorically, he would not take it.

'I don't want to know your secret, if it is as important as that,' she
said at last. 'A man who hides his real name so carefully must have
some very good reason for doing it.'

She emphasised the words almost cruelly and looked straight before her,
and her eyes sparkled again. His lips parted to make a quick retort,
but he checked himself, and then spoke quietly.

'I have never done anything I am ashamed of,' he said.

'I don't think it's very nice to do what you are doing now,' Margaret
retorted, coolly. 'It doesn't inspire confidence, you know.'

'Can't we part without quarrelling?'

'Oh, certainly! Do you mean to go away?'

'You leave me no choice. Shall we turn back to the house? It will
sooner be over. I can leave before dinner. It will be easy to find an
excuse.'

'Yes! Those proofs you have been talking of lately--your
publishers--anything will do!'

Margaret was thoroughly angry with him and with herself by this time,
and he was deeply hurt, and they turned and walked stiffly, with their
noses in the air, as if they never meant to speak to each other again.

'It's very odd!' Margaret observed at last, as if she had made a
discovery.

'What is very odd?'

'I never liked you as much as I did a quarter of an hour ago, and I
never disliked you as much as I do now! Do you understand that?'

'Yes. You make it very clear. I never heard any thing put more
plainly.'

'I'm glad of that. But it's very funny. I detest you just now, and yet,
if you go away at once, I know I shall be sorry. On the whole, do you
know?--you had better not leave to-night.'

Lushington turned sharply on her.

'Are you playing with me?' he asked, in an angry tone.

'No,' she answered with exasperating coolness, 'I don't think I am.
Only, you are two people, you see