“As it is five blocks away, and the neighbourhood is not of the nicest, I shall take the liberty of walking with you to it.”

“Really, I would rather not.  I haven’t the slightest fear,” protested the girl, eager to escape both the observation and the obligation.

“But I have,” calmly said her companion, as if his wish were the only thing to be considered.

For a moment Miss Durant vacillated, then, with a very slight inclination of her head, conveying the smallest quantity of consent and acknowledgment she could express, she walked out of the porte-cochere.

The doctor put himself beside her, and; they turned down the street, but not one word did she say.  “If he will force his society upon me, I will at least show him my dislike of it,” was her thought.

Obviously Dr. Armstrong was not disturbed by Miss Durant’s programme, for the whole distance was walked in silence; and even when they halted on the corner, he said nothing, though the girl was conscious that his eyes still studied her face.

“I will not be the first to speak,” she vowed to herself; but minute after minute passed without the slightest attempt or apparent wish on his part, and finally she asked, “Are you sure this line is running?”

Her attendant pointed up the street.  “That yellow light is your car.  I don’t know why the intervals are so long this evening.  Usually—­”

He was interrupted by the girl suddenly clutching at her dress, and then giving an exclamation of real consternation.

“What is it?” he questioned.

“Why, I—­nothing—­that is, I think—­I prefer to walk home, after all,” she stammered.

“You mustn’t do that.  It’s over two miles, and through a really rough district.”

“I choose to, none the less,” answered Constance, starting across the street.

“Then you will have to submit to my safeguard for some time longer, Miss Durant,” asserted the doctor, as he overtook her.

Constance stopped.  “Dr. Armstrong,” she said, “I trust you will not insist on accompanying me farther, when I tell you I haven’t the slightest fear of anything.”

“You have no fear, Miss Durant,” he answered, “because you are too young and inexperienced to even know the possibilities.  This is no part of the city for you to walk alone in after dark.  Your wisest course is to take a car, but if you prefer not, you had best let me go with you.”

“I choose not to take a car,” replied the girl, warmly, “and you have no right to accompany me against my wish.”

Dr. Armstrong raised his hat.  “I beg your pardon.  I did not realize that my presence was not desired,” he said.

Angry at both herself and him, Constance merely bowed, and walked on.  “I don’t see why men have to torment me so,” she thought, as she hurried along.  “His face was really interesting, and if he only wouldn’t begin like—­He never would have behaved so if—­if I weren’t—­” Miss Durant checked even her thoughts from the word “beautiful,” and allowed the words “well dressed” to explain her magnetism to the other sex.  Then, as if to salve her conscience of her own hypocrisy, she added, “It really is an advantage to a girl, if she doesn’t want to be bothered by men, to be born plain.”