key's." She looked
stealthily at Dic, but he did not flinch. After a pause she continued,
with a great show of carelessness and indifference, though this time she
moved away from him as she spoke. "She said you had been over to see her
last night." And to show that she was not at all interested in his
reply, she hummed the air of a song and carefully scrutinized a star
that was coming dangerously close to the moon.

"Yes, I went over to borrow their adze. Ours is broken," returned Dic.

The song ceased. Star and moon might collide for all the singer cared.
She was once again interested in things terrestrial.

"Now, Dic," she cried, again moving toward him and unduly emphasizing
the fact that she was merely teasing (she talked to tease, but listened
to learn), "now, Dic, you know the adze was only an excuse. You went to
see Sukey. You know you did. Why didn't you borrow Kaster's adze? They
live much nearer your house." She thought she had him in a trap, and
laughed as if she were delighted.

"I went to Kaster's first. They had none."

The girl concluded she was on the wrong road. But the side road had
suddenly become interesting, and she determined to travel it a short
way. Silence ensued on Dic's part, and travel on the side road became
slow. Rita was beginning to want to gallop. If she continued on the side
road, she feared her motive might grow to look more like a desire to
learn than a desire to tease; but she summoned her boldness, and with a
laugh that was intended to be merry, said:--

"Dic, you know you went to see Sukey, and that you spent the evening
with her."

"Did she say I did?" he asked, turning sharply upon her.

"Well--" replied Rita, but she did not continue. The Sukey Yates road
_was_ interesting, unusually so.

Dic paused for an answer, but receiving none, continued with emphasis:--

"I did not go into the house. I wasn't there five minutes, and I didn't
say ten words to Sukey."

"You need not get mad about it," replied the girl. "I don't care how
often you go to see Sukey or any other girl."

"I know you don't," he returned. "Of course you don't care. I never
hoped--never even dreamed--that you would," and his breath came quickly
with his bold, bold words.

"You might as well begin to dream," thought the girl, but she laughed,
this time nervously, and said, "She told me you were there and
took--took hold of--that is, she said you were so strong that when you
took hold of her she felt