Page:In The Cage (London, Duckworth, 1898).djvu/116

110 away his cigarette. His poor face was flushed. 'See here—see here!'

'No, I won't; but I must leave you now,' she went on as if not hearing him.

'See here—see here!' He tried, from the bench, to take her hand again.

But that definitely settled it for her: this would, after all, be as bad as his asking her to supper. 'You mustn't come with me—no, no!'

He sank back, quite blank, as if she had pushed him. 'I mayn't see you home?'

'No, no; let me go.' He looked almost as if she had struck him, but she didn't care; and the manner in which she spoke—it was literally as if she were angry—had the force of a command. 'Stay where you are!'

'See here—see here!' he nevertheless pleaded.

'I won't abandon you!' she cried once more—this time quite with passion; on which she got away from him as fast as she could and left him staring after her.