Page:E Nesbit - The Literary Sense.djvu/153

Rh you before all the world—I do—my word I do!"

He held out his arms.

"I see—I see you do," she cried, all her tact washed away by this mighty sea that had suddenly swept over her. "But I can't. I'm—I'm en—I'm promised to another young man."

"I wonder what he'll say to this," he said slowly.

"I'm so—so sorry," she said; "I'd no idea—"

"I see," he said, "you was just passing the time with me—and you never wanted me at all. And I thought you did. Get in, miss. I'll take you back to the town. I've just about had enough holiday for one day."

"I am so sorry," she kept saying. But he never answered.

"Do forgive me!" she said at last. "Indeed, I didn't mean—"

"Didn't mean," said he, lashing up the brown horse; "no—and it don't matter to you if I think about you and want you every day and every night so long as I live. It ain't nothing to you. You've had your fun. And you've got