im rather piteously. "You've
turned a silly game into deadly earnest, and you shouldn't--you
shouldn't. I wouldn't have done it if I'd known. It's such a
mistake--it's always such a great mistake--to do that. You say we
can't go back to where we were before, but we can--we can. Let's
try--anyway!"

"We can't," said Bunny with decision. "And there's no reason why we
should. Look here! You don't want to marry anyone else, do you?"

"I don't want to marry at all," said Toby.

He laughed at that. "Darling, of course you'll marry. Come! You might as
well have me first as last. You won't get any other fellow to suit you
half as well. What? Say you'll have me! Come, you've got to. You don't
hate me, do you?"

Again the pleading note was in his voice. She responded to it almost
involuntarily. Her hands slipped upwards to his shoulders.

"But--I'm not good enough," she said again, catching back a sob.

His arms enfolded her, closely and tenderly. "Oh, skip that!" he said. "I
won't listen."

"You--you--you're very silly," murmured Toby, with her head against his
neck.

"No. I'm not. I'm very sensible. Look here, we're engaged now, aren't
we?" said Bunny.

"No--no--we're not!" Her voice came muffled against his coat. "You're not
to think of such a thing for ages and ages and ages."

"Oh, rot!" he said again with impatience. "I hate a waiting
game--especially when there's nothing to wait for. You're not going
to give me the go-by now."

His face was close to her again. She put her hand against his chin and
softly pushed it away. "Bunny!" she said.

"Well, dear?" He stood, not yielding, but suffering her check.

"Bunny!" she said again, speaking with obvious effort. "I've got to say
something. You must listen--just for a minute. Jake,--Jake won't want you
to be engaged to me."

"What?" Bunny started a little, as one who suddenly remembers a thing
forgotten. "Jake!" Then hotly. "What the devil has it got to do with
Jake?"

"Stop!" said Toby. "Jake's quite right. He knows. He--he's older than you
are. You--you--you'd better ask him."

"Ask Jake!" Bunny's wrath exploded. "I'm my own master. I can marry whom
I like. What on earth should I ask Jake for?"

Toby uttered a little sigh. "You needn't if you don't want to. But if
you're wise, you will. He understands. You wouldn't. You see, I've been
to a lot of different schools, Bunny--foreign ones--and I've learnt a
heap of--rather funny things. That's why I'm so much