d--that certainly capped the
climax of eccentric behavior. And that, after her passionate protests!
But hold on! What did she say yesterday that was so passionate?
Curiously enough, he could not remember a word of what she had said.
It began slowly to dawn upon him that, during the memorable scene, he
had himself done all the talking. She had not uttered a syllable. It
was odd, but probably not without precedent. Well, if she wanted her
quarrel, she should have it promptly on the hour, and with _eclat_.

At 3:15 o'clock he rang the Professor's door-bell, and was ushered
into the drawing-room, where Miss Jones stood smiling sweetly upon
him.

"I hope you didn't misunderstand my note," she said, seeing the
troubled look in his eyes.

"Misunderstand it!" he ejaculated, with ill-suppressed indignation;
"if I had arrived as far as misunderstanding it, I should have had
respect for my intellect. I doubt if the seven sages could have
interpreted it."

"It wasn't necessary that they should," said Miss Jones imperturbably.

"But suppose they had made love to you?" he began, argumentatively.

"The seven sages _never_ made love to me," remarked Miss Jones,
perversely.

"But suppose you had kissed them?"

"I _never_ kissed them!"

Miss Jones repelled this insinuation with indignant emphasis.

"It is utterly useless to argue with you," he said, pacing the floor
in agitation.

"Then I would not try."

"You are cruel, vain, and heartless."

"If those qualities were contagious, I should know where I got them."

"You mean yesterday, when you kissed me!"

"I must decline to listen to such language. You will have the kindness
to remember Mr. Grover, that from this moment our acquaintance is at
an end."

Miss Jones arose with flaming cheeks and eyes in which the unseen
tears trembled; she made Mr. Grover a sweeping courtesy and moved with
a good deal of superfluous stateliness toward the door. He returned
her salute, though with much less dignity; then rushed forward to hold
her back, but with an impatient gesture she shook off his grasp and
hurried out.

"We met to quarrel in jest, and we did it in earnest," he reflected
grimly, as he picked up his hat and opened the door. There was a
sudden, agitated rustle of skirts in the hall, and he was just in time
to see Roeschen's back hair vanish into the dining-room.

VI.

Being engaged is said to be a very delightful thing. You fulfill a
ple