Page:Harold Macgrath--The girl in his house.djvu/99

 might be intrenched there. Arabian Nights! They stole out unobserved.

But no sooner were they in the house next door than he saw the monumental folly of his act. "We'd better run right back," he said, gravely.

"But why?" He covered his confusion. "Well, they'll be missing us shortly. Betty has Argus eyes."

"But what if they do miss us?" she asked, innocently.

"How the dickens am I going to make her understand?" he thought.

"Come into your old study. There's a fire ready. And I've got the most wonderful surprise for you. I was going to give it to you some morning after our ride, but the weather's been too bad."

"We'd better march right back to Betty's."

"Don't you Wouldn't you like to stay?"

"Like to! Why that isn't it." How was he going to tell her that it was not proper to be with her in this house at this hour? He saw instantly that, whatever she