“‘How do you mean, you suppose so? Nobody wants you to marry him; your parents don’t; your brothers don’t. You need never see him again. Send him away!’ “‘I can’t do that,’ she said in a very low voice. “‘Why not?’ “‘I can’t.... I sometimes feel I can’t escape Rawdon,’ she cried out. ‘He’s always been there since I can remember, I think he always will be there. There’s something between us; it may be fancy; but there’s something between us.’ “‘Hush!’ I said, startled as I was; ‘here he is.’ “He caught us up, walking rapidly, and I could see at a glance that he was determined to have it out with Ruth in spite of my presence. He came up with us, and he took her by the arm. “‘Ruth!’ he said, in a vibrant voice. I want a word with you. You’ve misjudged me.’ “We had all come to a standstill. “‘I can’t misjudge what I see,’ she answered very coldly. “‘You saw, you saw! well, and what of it? That was only a bit of fun. Damn you, if you treated me a bit better yourself ...’ “‘Let me alone, Rawdon,’ she said, shaking him off. ‘You can do as you like, that’s your affair, only let me alone. I don’t want to talk to you. You go your way, and I’ll go mine.’ “‘Your way!’ he said, scowling at me. ‘Your way’s my way, as you’ll learn.’ “‘Now don’t you come bullying me, Rawdon,’ she said, but I think she was frightened. “‘Well, you speak me fair and I won’t bully you. I was up to no harm, only larking around.... Come, Ruthie, haven’t you a smile for me? You treat me cruel bad most days, you know, and I don’t take offence. Ruthie!’ “‘We’re not alone, Rawdon,’ she said sharply. “I thought he muttered, ‘No, damn it!’ between his teeth, and just then I felt a hand close over my wrist on the side farthest from Westmacott, a little imploring hand that checked in the nick of time my impulse to move away. She spoke bravely, as though the contact gave her courage. “‘That’ll do, now, Rawdon, don’t come making a scene. There’s nothing to make a scene about.’ “‘But you’ll not sulk me?’ he said. “‘I’ll not sulk you, why should I?’ “‘Then give me a kiss, for peace.’ “‘Let me be, Rawdon.’ “She was troubled, now that her anger had passed. I would have walked on, but for the dry, fevered fingers gripping my wrist. “A new idea had taken possession of Rawdon’s mind; his eyes glowed in the noble, architectural carving of his face, that so belied the coarseness of his nature. “‘I’m your cousin, Ruth!’ he cried satirically. “He caught her by the shoulder and turned her towards him. I thought she would have struggled, and indeed I saw the preparatory tautening of her frame; then to my astonishment she yielded suddenly, flexible and abandoned, and he kissed her regardless of my presence; kissed her ferociously, and pushed her from him. “‘I’ll see you to-morrow?’ he asked. “‘To-morrow, likely,’ she answered indifferently, with a quick return to her old contemptuous manner.