hings of which she had never dreamed. She could imagine that a man
should wish to put it off, but that he should have the face to declare
to his young woman that he never meant to marry at all, was a thing
that she could not understand. What business had such a man to go
after any young woman? 'And what do you mean that I'm to do, Sir
Felix?' she said.

'Just go easy, and not make yourself a bother.'

'Not make myself a bother! Oh, but I will; I will. I'm to be carrying
on with you, and nothing to come of it; but for you to tell me that
you don't mean to marry, never at all! Never?'

'Don't you see lots of old bachelors about, Ruby?'

'Of course I does. There's the Squire. But he don't come asking girls
to keep him company.'

'That's more than you know, Ruby.'

'If he did he'd marry her out of hand,--because he's a gentleman. That's
what he is, every inch of him. He never said a word to a girl,--not to
do her any harm, I'm sure,' and Ruby began to, cry. 'You mustn't come
no further now, and I'll never see you again--never! I think you're the
falsest young man, and the basest, and the lowest-minded that I ever
heard tell of. I know there are them as don't keep their words. Things
turn up, and they can't. Or they gets to like others better; or there
ain't nothing to live on. But for a young man to come after a young
woman, and then say, right out, as he never means to marry at all, is
the lowest-spirited fellow that ever was. I never read of such a one
in none of the books. No, I won't. You go your way, and I'll go mine.'
In her passion she was as good as her word, and escaped from him,
running all the way to her aunt's door. There was in her mind a
feeling of anger against the man, which she did not herself
understand, in that he would incur no risk on her behalf. He would not
even make a lover's easy promise, in order that the present hour might
be made pleasant. Ruby let herself into her aunt's house, and cried
herself to sleep with a child on each side of her.

On the next day Roger called. She had begged Mrs Pipkin to attend the
door, and had asked her to declare, should any gentleman ask for Ruby
Ruggles, that Ruby Ruggles was out. Mrs Pipkin had not refused to do
so; but, having heard sufficient of Roger Carbury to imagine the cause
which might possibly bring him to the house, and having made up her
mind that Ruby's present condition of independence was equally
unfavourable to the lodging-house and to Ruby