"I beg your pardon," he said stiffly. "I didn't mean to annoy you. I had been finishing my smoke. I--" He paused, at his wits' end. At this moment if he had been called upon to recognize his true feelings, he would have sworn that he hated her bitterly with a fierce, unreasoning hatred. "You do not annoy me," she said quietly. "I was afraid so." "No." He hesitated a moment. "Did you get my letters?" "Yes." "Did you answer them?" he said, with a last hope of some possible misunderstanding. She shook her head. He waited a moment for some explanation and as none came, he started to leave, saying, "I don't understand at all--but--I don't suppose that matters--" He went toward the door. Then stopped. He thought he had heard her calling his name. He returned slowly. "Did you call me?" "No, no." All at once he came to her tempestuously, catching her arm as he would a naughty child's. "Drina, I won't be turned away like this. In heaven's name what have I done that you should treat me like this? At least tell me!" She did not struggle against his hold, but turned away her head without answer. "Was it my first letter? You didn't like me to write that way--so soon--so soon after breaking the engagement? Was that it? It was, wasn't it?" It seemed to him, though he could not be sure, that her head made a little affirmative nod. "But what was wrong?" he cried in dismay. "You wouldn't have me be insincere. You know and I know what you meant to me, you know that if I went on with Doris after--after that night, it was only from a sense of duty, of loyalty. Yes, because you yourself came to me and begged me to. If that's true, why not be open about--" "Hush," she said hastily. "Some one will hear." "I don't care if they all hear," he said recklessly. "Drina, what's the use of pretending. You know I've been in love with you, you and only you, from the first day I saw you." She drew her arm from his grasp and turned on him defiantly-- "Thanks-- I don't care to be second fiddle!" she said spitefully. "Good heavens, that is it!" "Yes, that is it," she cried out and breaking from him she fled around the corner of the verandah and it seemed to him that he had caught the sound of a sob.