Page:A Wild-Goose Chase - Balmer - 1915.djvu/251

Rh they were alone he tried to rise, but she, instead of coming closer to him, drew away. He sank back a little and gazed at her with a question.

"My dear!" he cried to her softly. "My dear! Why, what is the matter? What has been the matter, dear?"

"Don't say that!" she forbade him, and shut her eyes as he stared at her.

"What? Don't say that anything is the matter, Margaret?"

"No; don't say—don't call me as you used to!"

"I don't understand! I have seen that something is strange, of course, Margaret; but—tell me, what is it?"

"Help me to tell you, Eric!" she appealed.

"Why, Margaret! Help you—now?"

"Oh, surely you saw!" she motioned dumbly.

"Latham, you mean?" he questioned. "Yes, I saw he stayed here after the others. He—there were other things in the way he spoke to you, looked at you, looked at me. I see, Margaret; then I did not just imagine them?"

"Imagine them—no!"