ther.

"What does this mean?" said he.

"What do you thick it means?" retorted Cynthia, with dignity.

"A summons to stay away," said Bob, thereby more or less accurately
describing it. "What would you have thought of me if I had not come?"

Cynthia was not prepared for any such question as this. She had meant to
ask the questions herself. But she never lacked for words to protect
herself.

"I'll tell you what I think of you for coming, Bob, for insisting upon
seeing me as you did," she said, remembering with shame Ellen's account
of that proceeding. "It was very unkind and very thoughtless of you."

"Unkind?" Thus she succeeded in putting him on the defensive.

"Yes, unkind, because I know it is best for you not to come to see me,
and you know it, and yet you will not help me when I try to do what is
right. I shall be blamed for these visits," she said. The young ladies in
the novels always were. But it was a serious matter for poor Cynthia, and
her voice trembled a little. Her troubles seemed very real.

"Who will blame you?" asked Bob, though he knew well enough. Then he
added, seeing that she did not answer: "I don't at all agree with you
that it is best for me not to see you. I know of nobody in the world it
does me more good to see than yourself. Let's sit down and talk it all
over," he said, for she still remained standing uncompromisingly by the
door.

The suspicion of a smile came over Cynthia's face. She remembered how
Ellen had been wheedled. Her instinct told her that now was the time to
make a stand or never.

"It wouldn't do any good, Bob," she replied, shaking her head; "we talked
it all over last week."

"Not at all," said he, "we only touched upon a few points last week. We
ought to thrash it out. Various aspects of the matter have occurred to me
which I ought to call to your attention."

He could not avoid this bantering tone, but she saw that he was very much
in earnest too. He realized the necessity of winning; likewise, and he
had got in and meant to stay.

"I don't want to argue," said Cynthia. "I've thought it all out."

"So have I," said Bob. "I haven't thought of anything else, to speak of.
And by the way," he declared, shaking the envelope, "I never got a colder
and more formal letter in my life. You must have taken it from one of
Miss Sadler's copy books."

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to equal the warmth of your other
correspondents," said Cynthia, smiling at the mention o