Page:The wheels of chance -- a bicycling idyll.djvu/115

Rh "Yes, yes. But the point is, you have eloped with me."

"You came with me. You pretended to be my friend. Promised to help me to earn a living by writing. It was you who said, why shouldn't a man and woman be friends? And now you dare—you dare—"

"Really, Jessie, this pose of yours, this injured innocence—"

"I will go back. I forbid you—I forbid you to stand in the way—"

"One moment. I have always thought that my little pupil was at least clear-headed. You don't know everything yet, you know. Listen to me for a moment."

"Haven't I been listening? And you have only insulted me. You who dared only to talk of friendship, who scarcely dared hint at anything beyond."

"But you took the hints, nevertheless. You knew. You knew. And you did not mind. Mind! You liked it. It was the fun of the whole thing for you. That I loved you, and could not speak to you. You played with it—"

"You have said all that before. Do you think that justifies you?"

"That isn't all. I made up my mind—Well, to make the game more even. And so I suggested