f a
Tom--let me go, I say."

"Just one minute, Elsie--"

"To-morrow--any time! Don't you know civilized beings never behave in
this way at a ball."

"I don't know--I can't think! I only feel I love you, Elsie, and must
speak out. I will speak out."

A few weeks earlier Elsie would only have been amused at all this from
general lack of amusement, but now it vexed and irritated her. Girl-like
she had not the slightest pity on his pain. He was keeping her sorely
against her wishes.

"I am served right for treating you as a friend," she said; "I looked
upon you as a relation, and thought you understood it; now you are
trying to make me unhappy. Bessie will be angry, and tell Grant. Oh, you
ought to be ashamed."

"I won't make you any trouble," shivered Tom; "I won't distress you!
There--I beg your pardon, Elsie, I am sorry! And you don't--you never
can, Elsie, Elsie--"

"No, no, you silly old fellow, of course not! Now be good, and I'll
forget all about this folly. Let me go, Tom, I can't stay here any
longer--let me go."

Tom still held her hand.

"This is earnest!" he said.

"Yes, yes! Tom, if you don't let me go I'll scream! You are absurd--why,
you ought to be put in a straight jacket."

Tom dropped her hand, and stood like a man overpowered by some sudden
blow.

Elsie saw only the comical side of the matter, and began to laugh again.

"Don't laugh," he said, passionately; "for mercy's sake don't laugh!"

There was a depth of suffering in his tone which forced itself to be
realized even by that selfish creature; but it only made her begin to
consider herself exceedingly ill-used, and to blame Tom for spoiling her
pleasure.

"Now you want to blame me," she said, angrily, "and I haven't done a
thing to encourage you."

"No, no; I don't blame you, Elsie," he said; "it's all my own fault--all
mine."

"Yes, to be sure," cried Elsie. "Who could think you would be so
foolish. There, shake hands, Tom, for I'm in a hurry. You are not
angry?"

"Angry--no," said Tom, drearily.

"That's right! Good-by--you'll be wiser to-morrow."

Elsie glided away, and Tom watched her go out of the room, and realized
that she was floating out of his life forever, that the dream of the
past was at an end, and he was left alone in the darkness.

Poor old Tom! It was very hard, but no one could have resisted a smile
at his appearance! When Elsie left him, he dashed out of the room, and
hid himself in the most out of the