"I didn't, I didn't," sobbed Daisy. "I didn't want to; but he was always following me, and hunting me, and worrying me." "Daisy, Daisy!" cried Eve, with a passionate cry, as she threw herself on her knees to the homely girl, "give him back to me; oh, give him back." "Miss Eve! Miss Eve!" cried the girl, startled at the vehemence and suddenness of this outburst, "oh, do please get up. What can I do?" "Oh, Daisy, you'll break my heart. You'll kill poor aunt. What have we done, that you should come like a blight upon us?" Eve rose slowly and stood facing the girl, over whom a change seemed to be coming as she said sulkily: "It wasn't my doing." "But you must have led him on," moaned poor Eve. "You, who are so bright and pretty, while I--while I--" Daisy gave her now a jealous, vindictive look, as if she felt danger; and that this gentle girl was about to rob her of the man she loved, and she exclaimed: "I must go. I won't stop to be scolded. You want to win him back; but he belongs to me." "Daisy, Daisy!" cried Eve, catching at her shawl; but it was too late-- the girl had turned and run back into the road, hastening on to the place where she was to have found Richard Glaire, up by the chalk pit; and as she hastened on, she would not look back. Still poor Eve followed her sadly as far as the road, and then turned back towards the town, saying sadly:-- "I could not move her. It is too late, too late." Long before Eve Pelly had reached the town, with its knots of men out of work, Daisy had climbed the hill to the chalk pit, where Richard was waiting, smoking angrily. "At last!" he cried. "I was just going back." He gave a glance round, and was about to throw his arms round the flushed and panting girl, when he started back, and stood staring, as Mrs Glaire came slowly forward from amongst the trees, and taking Daisy's wrist in her hand, she pointed down the road. "There, you can go back," she said, quietly. "I wish to speak to Daisy Banks." "No, no, Richard--Dick, dear, don't leave me with her; she'll kill me!" screamed Daisy, frightened by the pale, resolute-looking little woman, who held her so tightly. "Silence, child!" cried Mrs Glaire. "Oh, come, let's have an end of this," cried Richard. "I intend to try for an end," said Mrs Glaire, sharply, "for with you I can make no compact that will not be broken." "Oh, if it's coming to that," said Richard, sharply, "I shall bring matters to an end." "Go, sir! Go home," said Mrs Glaire, sternly. "Come, you needn't bully that poor girl," said Dick, with a half-laugh; then seeing the hand still pointing down the road, he grew uneasy, fidgeted, and ended by saying--"There, just as you like." "Dick, don't leave me," gasped Daisy. "Don't you be a little silly," laughed Richard. "She won't hurt you. I say, mother, you'd better make matters up with Daisy and bring her home, for I think I shall marry her after all."