sigh welled up
within her and her eyes filled with quick tears. If only he would have
consented to be her friend. She was so lonely--so lonely!

There came the sound of wheels along the road, and she turned away.
Evidently someone else was coming for the train. A little tremor of
impatience went through her. Would the train never come?

The wheels stopped before the station door. Someone descended, and there
followed the sound of a man's feet approaching her retreat. A hand was
laid upon the door, and she braced herself to meet a possible
acquaintance. It opened, and she glanced up.

"Oh, Jeff!" she said.

He shut the door behind him and came forward. His face was set in
dogged, unyielding lines.

"I have come to take you back," he said.

She drew sharply away from him. This was the last thing she had
expected.

Desperately she faced him. "I can't come with you, Jeff," she said. "My
mind is quite made up. I am very sorry for everything, especially sorry
that you have taken the trouble to follow me. But my decision is quite
unalterable."

Her breath came fast as she ended. Her heart was throbbing in thick,
heavy strokes. There was something so implacable in his attitude.

He did not speak at once, and she stood before him, striving with all
her strength to still her agitation. Then quite calmly he stood back and
motioned her to pass him. "Whatever you decide to do afterwards," he
said, "you must come back with me now. We had better start at once
before it gets worse."

A quiver of anger went through her; it was almost a sensation of hatred.
She remained motionless. "I refuse," she said in a low voice, her grey
eyes steadily raised to his.

She saw his black brows meet, but he gave no sign of impatience. "And
I--insist," he said stubbornly.

She felt the blood receding from her face. It was to be open conflict,
then. She collected all her resolution to oppose him, for to yield at
that moment was out of the question.

It was then, while she stood summoning her forces, that there came to
her ears the distant hum and throb of an approaching train. It was
coming at last. A porter ran past the window that looked upon the
platform, announcing its approach with a dismal yell. Doris straightened
and turned to go.

Jeff turned also. An odd light sprang up in his gipsy eyes. He went
straight to the door ere she could reach it, locked it, and withdrew the
key.

That fired Doris. Her composure went in a single i