"Then you are sure you aren't
mad with me?" she whispered.
"Of course I'm sure," Barney returned, impatiently.
"It would kill me if you were," Rose whispered. She pressed close to
him; he could feel her softly panting against his side, her head sunk
on his shoulder. "I've been worrying about it all these months," she
said in his ear. Her soft curly hair brushed his cheek, but her
little transient influence over him was all gone. He felt angry and
ashamed.
"I haven't thought anything about it," he said, brusquely.
Rose sobbed faintly, but she did not move away from him. Suddenly
that cruel repulsion which seizes mankind towards reptiles and
unsought love seized Barney. He unclasped her clinging hands, and
fairly pushed her away from him. "Good-night, Rose," he said,
shortly, and turned, and went up the path to his own door with
determined strides.
"Barney!" Rose called after him; but he paid no attention. She even
ran up the path after him; but the door shut, and she turned back.
She was trembling from head to foot, there was a great rushing in her
ears; but she heard a quick light step behind her when she got out on
the road, and she hurried on before it with a vague dread.
She almost ran at length; but the footsteps gained on her. A dark
skirt brushed her light-colored one, and Charlotte's voice, full of
contempt and indignation, said in her ear: "Oh, I thought it was
you.
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