"I’m not made of sugar! I _won’t_!" He shrugged his shoulders. "You’re to come back with me at once," she said imperiously. Dr. Hildersley, from the corner house, looked forth admiringly: "What eyes! What a colour! I wouldn’t mind betting the aunt isn’t at home!" Mrs. Denbigh at No. 41 looked out and shrugged her shoulders and smiled: "One of those mad Irish people! But _what_ a pretty girl she is!" Once back in the dining room Nell faced him. "Now!" she said. "What is it you wanted me for?" he asked. She leant, half-sitting, against the back of a chair; she swung herself gently to and fro, and looked at him thoughtfully. "Ted, you’ve got a horrible temper, I believe!" "If that’s all, I may as well go!" She made a dart toward him. "Oh, don’t make me run after you again! And Aunt Kezia has expressly forbidden me to leave the house in my pinny. I’ve just remembered it." "Ted," suddenly, "what did you do yesterday?" "Rode." "What did you ride?" "Rowena—then Peter." "How long did you ride?" "All day." She nodded. "Sit down." "I don’t want to, thanks." "Ted, tell me why you began to come in, and changed your mind." "Remembered something. Is O’Brien at the bank?" "Oh, no, he’s reading in bed!" There was a little pause. She began suddenly: "You may go if you want to! If any little stupid thing can make you never want to come near us any more, go! I shan’t run after you again, anyway. We don’t understand that kind of thing, but then we’re not cold-blooded Englishmen!" "I say, Nell!" He had grown very red, but he looked rather amused. "Why don’t you go? I’ll tell Denis not to come round worrying you—" Quite suddenly she stopped. The pink colour leapt to her cheeks; she gave a little, shamefaced laugh, "Oh, Ted, it’s just like—that—that first night!" "Just what I was thinking." There was a little silence. "Nell, why _did_ you come after me?" "Because I wanted to ask you something." "Well?" "I wanted to know where you got that waistcoat," demurely. He glanced down at it. "Well, I was afraid it was rather gorgeous," he said slowly, "but I didn’t think it would shine through my overcoat!" "Oh, yes,"—she was quite unabashed,—"I saw the glow of it on thy manly bosom." "I—I want to apologise for—" "Oh, no, you don’t! _Please_ don’t, Ted!" "They were so beastly rude," he said. She searched for excuses. "It really was rather—rather startling for them! You see, they’re different from us—I mean," catching sight of his expression, "we’re always having fun and that kind of thing—" He smiled at her. "Give it up, Nell," he said gently; "it’s awfully good of you, but it’s no go, anyway." "Well, but—why _did_ you come to the gate, and then turn away?" He flushed. "I don’t know. I was coming in. I saw you, and—I funked it suddenly! I was so beastly ashamed. It was awfully good of you to come after me like that, Nell," earnestly.