“Well—­”

“Well, go on.”

“Well, he said—­he said, Yes, darling’—­and—­”

“And what?”

“And he kissed me,” said Minnie, in a doleful voice.

“Kissed you!” exclaimed her sister, with flashing eyes.

“Ye-yes,” stammered Minnie, with a sob; “and I think it’s a shame; and none of them ever did so before; and I don’t want you ever to go away again, Kitty darling.”

“The miserable wretch!” cried Mrs. Willoughby, indignantly.

“No, he isn’t—­he isn’t that,” said Minnie.  “He isn’t a miserable wretch at all.”

“How could any one be so base who pretends to the name of gentleman!” cried Mrs. Willoughby.

“He wasn’t base—­and it’s very wicked of you, Kitty.  He only pretended, you know.”

“Pretended!”

“Yes.”

“Pretended what?”

“Why, that he was my—–­my father, you know.”

“Does Ethel know this?” asked Mrs. Willoughby, after a curious look at Minnie.

“No, of course not, nor Dowdy either; and you mustn’t go and make any disturbance.”

“Disturbance? no; but if I ever see him, I’ll let him know what I think of him,” said Mrs. Willoughby, severely.

“But he saved my life, and so you know you can’t be very harsh with him.  Please don’t—­ple-e-e-ease now, Kitty darling.”

“Oh, you little goose, what whimsical idea have you got now?”

“Please don’t, ple-e-e-ease don’t,” repeated Minnie.

“Oh, never mind; go on now, darling, and tell me about the rest of it.”

“Well, there isn’t any more.  I lay still, you know, and at last Ethel came; and then we went back to Dowdy, and then we came home, you know.”

“Well, I hope you’ve lost him.”

“Lost him?  Oh no; I never do.  They always will come.  Besides, this one will, I know.”

“Why?”

“Because he said so.”

“Said so? when?”

“Yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

“Yes; we met him.”

“Who?”

“Dowdy and I. We were out driving.  We stopped and spoke to him.  He was dreadfully earnest and awfully embarrassed; and I knew he was going to propose; so I kept whispering to myself all the time, ’Oh, please don’t—­please don’t;’ but I know he will; and he’ll be here soon too.”

“He sha’n’t.  I won’t let him.  I’ll never give him the chance.”

“I think you needn’t be so cruel.”

“Cruel!”

“Yes; to the poor man.”

“Why, you don’t want another man, I hope?”

“N-no; but then I don’t want to hurt his feelings.  It was awfully good of him, you know, and awfully plucky.”

[Illustration:  “IF I EVER SEE HIM, I’LL LET HIM KNOW WHAT I THINK OF HIM.”]

“Well, I should think that you would prefer avoiding him, in your peculiar situation.”

“Yes, but he may feel hurt.”

“Oh, he may see you once or twice with me.”