Page:Herbert Jenkins - The Rain Girl.djvu/267

 "Not until you promise," she said quietly. "Promise," he repeated dully.

She nodded.

For fully a moment he was silent, then in a very quiet, restrained voice he said, "I promise, Lola, to do nothing until I see you again."

"Honest Injun?" she asked, sitting up.

"Honest Injun," he repeated, then they both laughed.

"But I've signed-on as assistant-purser," he said whimsically.

"Signed-on!" she repeated with widening eyes.

"Well, it's really a sort of wangle," he explained. "I shipped as assistant-purser. Tallis arranged it, Lola!"

"Oh!"

She drew back from him into the furthest corner of the chair behind her, covering her face with her hands.

"Lola, what is it; what's the matter?"

"Please, please go away," she moaned, still shielding her face with her hands.

"You must tell me," he persisted. "What have I said; what have I done?"

"I—I thought you were"

Suddenly light dawned upon him.

"You thought I was going to" he hesitated.

She nodded, still with her hands before her face.

"My God! and that is why?" he began.

"Oh! what have I done? what have I done?" she moaned.