“No, no, they were _in_ the car, they——” “I’ll—I’ll _see_ Worthington to-morrow!” He paused for control, and Mrs. Gibbons had a swift vision of Mr. Worthington’s head rolling off into a basket. “I never heard such a lot of crazy stuff—I never _heard_ of such a thing—I _never_ heard of such a thing! It all comes of your being out of the house when I came home. What on earth you want to go wild-goose chasing for at the very time you know I’m coming home——” “But, Arnold, I _didn’t_ go wild-goose chasing. I went to the station to surprise you.” His anger grew. “To surprise me! Then let me know next time you want to surprise me. I’ve had enough surprise to last me all the rest of my life.” He broke off with a shudder as if the thought were too much for him. “Well, you just missed it, not being with us to-night. You’ll never have such another chance, never. The Atterburys won’t be back for five years.” “And did you enjoy it without _me_!” “Enjoy it! Of course I enjoyed it. I’d have been a fool not to. I had a glorious time, the best dinner I ever ate, and Atterbury?—What on earth you wanted to spoil it all for I can’t see. _Take_ care!”—his arm went around her closely. “You’ll turn your ankle.” His touch was ineffably gentle and sure, in spite of the masterful rage of his tone. “Oh, Arnold, I’ve been so unhappy all the evening. I——” He went on, remorseless. “I’m glad you were. I hope you _were_ unhappy. It will teach you never to do such a thing again. When you didn’t meet us at the ferry, I was confounded. I couldn’t think _what_ had happened to you. If everything hadn’t been ordered ahead, tickets and all, I’d have come straight home, but I couldn’t leave the Atterburys in the lurch when _you_ had, though I hated to go without you. It just spoiled the whole thing. I’ve been worrying ever since that infernal hold-up in the elevated, thinking of you at home alone, and then I find you gallivanting around at the junction at three o’clock in the morning, after coming out in that outrageous car. If I’d known you were there——! Well, you were just crazy to do such a thing”—he set his teeth—“it makes me _wild_ to think of it. You don’t know _what_ might have happened. I’ll be afraid to go off and leave you home alone. I don’t know what you’ll do. You ought to be looked after like a child. You oughtn’t to be left a _minute_. What’s the matter?” He slowed up the pace that was rapidly nearing them to home. His storming voice deepened reluctantly into a distressful tenderness. “What’s the matter? You mustn’t cry in the street, Nita! You mustn’t, dear.”