Part 22 (1/2)

I shook my head.

”Even then I cannot guess.”

Then she began to tremble. She grasped the edge of the seat with her hand so that I should not see how she shook.

”Jeff,” she said, in a low voice, ”if you never want to see me again--I can't blame you if you don't--not after this.”

I waited.

”Not that I shouldn't always, always love you. It will be my punishment--I shall have to bear it.”

Still I waited.

”Yesterday it was you who offered it--now it's me--it will serve me right.”

I thought she would never go on. ”You mean our engagement, of course?” I said.

”Yes,” she gulped.

”Why?” I asked suddenly.

”Because--because of what I've been beast enough to believe of you, Jeff.”

”And that is----”

As I again waited for her to speak I looked round the courtyard. A clerk was at work in a first-floor window, and he caught my eye and looked away again. In another window an office boy stood with a pen in his mouth, turning the pages of a ledger. Then, after a while, and very disjointedly, Kitty went on:

”They said you said it yourself, and I--at first I didn't--but then I believed it. I know I was beastly about it once before--then we quarrelled--but I didn't mean what I said then--believe me, I didn't....

And,” she went on, ”I didn't know who--who--it was.... She never told me--you know what I mean.... I hate myself--now. I suppose I'm jealous--the green-eyed monster, Jeff--but they did say it--said you'd as much as said so yourself--and----”

I was beginning to get impatient with her rambling.

I said ”And what?” but I don't think she heard me.

”So that's why I went to Louie herself--to ask her--right out----”

All at once I felt it coming.

”Well?”

But suddenly she buried her face in her hands, and her thin shoulders shook. Again I saw the clerk watching....

”Oh!” she moaned. ”Can you ever, _ever_ forgive me?”

”For----”

”For ever thinking that you and Louie--that you and Louie----”