sen."

"Would you mind ringing the bell?"

"Must it be done quite at once?"

"Quite,--quite," she said. "I can do it myself for the matter of
that." And she rang the bell somewhat violently. Dolly sank back
again into his seat, remarking in his usual apathetic way that he had
intended to obey her behest but had not understood that she was in so
great a hurry. "I am always in a hurry," she said. "I like things to
be done--sharp." And she hit the table a crack. "Please bring me some
iced water," this of course was addressed to the waiter. "And a glass
for Mr. Longstaff."

"None for me, thank you."

"Perhaps you'd like soda and brandy?"

"Oh dear no;--nothing of the kind. But I am so much obliged to you
all the same." As the water-bottle was in fact standing in the room,
and as the waiter had only to hand the glass, all this created but
little obstacle. Still it had its effect, and Dolly, when the man
had retired, felt that there was a difficulty in proceeding. "I have
called to-day--" he began.

"That has been so kind of you. But mother has gone to church."

"I am very glad that she has gone to church, because I wish to--"

"Oh laws! There's a horse has tumbled down in the street. I heard
it."

"He has got up again," said Dolly, looking leisurely out of the
window. "But as I was saying--"

"I don't think that the water we Americans drink can be good. It
makes the women become ugly so young."

"You will never become ugly."

She got up and curtsied to him, and then, still standing, made him a
speech. "Mr. Longstaff, it would be absurd of me to pretend not to
understand what you mean. But I won't have any more of it. Whether
you are making fun of me, or whether you are in earnest, it is just
the same."

"Making fun of you!"

"It does not signify. I don't care which it is. But I won't have it.
There!"

"A gentleman should be allowed to express his feelings and to explain
his position."

"You have expressed and explained more than enough, and I won't have
any more. If you will sit down and talk about something else, or
else go away, there shall be an end of it;--but if you go on, I will
ring the bell again. What can a man gain by going on when a girl has
spoken as I have done?" They were both at this time standing up, and
he was now as angry as she was.

"I've paid you the greatest compliment a man can pay a woman," he
began.

"Very well. If I remember rightly I thanked you for it yesterday. If
you