Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/108

 "You refuse to understand," she sighed. "If you don't care what they might think, Mr. Ames, I do. So please let's say good-by."

"Good-by!" he exclaimed incredulously. "Now? When I've just found you at last? You don't really mean it! Why—why, hang it, there isn't going to be any good-by—ever! Don't you feel that?" The blue eyes dropped troubledly. She turned away, one hand clutching at her skirts. "I must go now," she said.

"In this rain? Good Lord, you can't! You'll get sopping wet! Wait, please! What is it you want me to do? I don't understand, I guess. Do you really mean that I'm not to—to see you, not to have anything to do with you? Just because you—because I—Why, it's absurd! You can't be in earnest! You aren't, are you? You're just teasing me?"

"I am in earnest." she answered stoutly. "I mean just that."

"But—look here, I'm not a villain in a melodrama. Miss—Miss Peggy! I'm only asking you to let me be a friend. Can't you do that? I thought—well, you know you do rather like me;