ad got at a little real love or passion,
or call it by any name--something wild and warm and splendidly alive that
one could feel, the most thrilling, electric, and exquisite sensation
known.

I thoroughly enjoyed the situation, but did not let this appear. A minute
or two passed and he did not speak.

"Mr Beecham, I'll trouble you to explain yourself. How dare you lay your
hands upon me?"

"Explain!" he breathed rather than spoke, in a tone of concentrated fury.
"I'll make _you_ explain, and I'll do what I like with you. I'll touch you
as much as I think fit. I'll throw you over the fence if _you_ don't
explain to _my_ satisfaction."

"What is there that I can explain?"

"Explain your conduct with other men. How dare you receive their
attentions and be so friendly with them!"

"How dare you speak to me like that! I reserve the right of behaving as I
please without your permission."

"I won't have a girl with my engagement ring on her finger going on as you
do. I think I have a right to complain, for I could get any amount of
splendid women in every way to wear it for me, and behave themselves
properly too," he said fiercely.

I tossed my head defiantly, saying, "Loose your hold of me, and I'll
quickly explain matters to my own satisfaction and yours, Harold
Beecham."

He let me go, and I stepped a pace or two away from him, drew the costly
ring from my finger, and, with indifference and contempt, tossed it to
his feet, where the juice of crushed strawberries was staining the
ground, and facing him, said mockingly:

"Now, speak to the girl who wears your engagement ring, for I'll degrade
myself by wearing it no more. If you think I think you as great a catch
as you think yourself, just because you have a little money, you are a
trifle mistaken, Mr Beecham, that is all. Ha ha ha! So you thought you
had a right to lecture me as your future slave! Just fancy! I never had
the slightest intention of marrying you. You were so disgustingly
conceited that I have been attempting to rub a little of it out of you.
Marry you! Ha ha! Because the social laws are so arranged that a woman's
only sphere is marriage, and because they endeavour to secure a man who
can give them a little more ease, you must not run away with the idea
that it is yourself they are angling for, when you are only the
bothersome appendage with which they would have to put up, for the sake
of your property. And you must not think that because some w