Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/40

30 the weather and the sunset, "I have been thinking lately that you desire to avoid me."

"Heaven forbid! Miss Wetherell," I hastened to reply. "I don't know what can have put such a notion into your head?"

"All the same, I believe it to be true. Now, why do you do it?"

"I have not admitted that I do do it. But, perhaps, if I seem to deny myself the pleasure of being with you as much as some other people I could mention, it is only because I fail to see what pleasure you can derive from my society."

"That is a very pretty speech," she answered smiling, "but it does not tell me what I want to know."

"And what is it you want to know, my dear young lady?"

"I want to know why it is you are so much changed towards me. At first we got on splendidly—you used to tell me of your life in Torres Straits, of your trading ventures in the Southern Seas, and even of your hopes for the future—now all that is changed. It is 'Good morning, Miss Wetherell,' 'Good evening, Miss Wetherell,' and that is all. I must own I don't like such treatment."

"I must crave your pardon—but—"

"No, we won't have any 'buts.' If you want to be forgiven, you must come and talk to me more. You will like the rest of the people I'm sure when you get to know them. They are very kind to me."

"And you think I shall like them for that reason?"

"No, no. How silly you are. But I do want you to be friendly."

After that there was nothing for it but for me to push myself into a circle where I had the best reasons