Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/54

 "You reminded me a moment ago that we are scarcely strangers," he said mildly. "Is that your real opinion of me?"

"I am considering you as one of—of your set," she answered calmly. "Besides, she doesn't want you to follow her."

"Then she thought it possible that I would? She told you so?"

"The expression is mine. What she did say was that she hoped you wouldn't try to find out about her. That was before the telegram came. She expected to remain with me another week."

"Oh, so it was a telegram that took her home?"

"Yes. Gordon, the girl is in trouble, a whole big lot of trouble. Let her alone, please."

"I'm sorry," he said, after a moment's silence. "You won't tell me her name, then?"

"No, I won't."

"I could learn it, I suppose," he mused.

"Yes, you could question the servants."

"I might even do that in my desperation," he replied with a smile. "However, I won't. Just to prove that I am not quite as bad as you paint me, I won't. Are you satisfied?"

"Yes, if you mean it."