In Approval of Women 207

“T was only — brushing my hat,” Gavin an-
swered with dignity. ‘“ You want me to go?”

She bowed, and this time he did set off.

“You can go if you like,” she remarked
now.

He turned at this.

“ But you said —” he began, diffidently.

“No, I did not,” she answered, with indigna-
tion.

He could see her face at last.

“ You—you are crying!’ he exclaimed, in
bewilderment.

“‘ Because you are so unfeeling,’ sobbed Bab-
bie.

“ What have I said, what have I done?”’ cried
Gavin, in an agony of self-contempt. ‘ Oh, that
I had gone away at once!”

“That is-cruel.”

fe W hatis: ?

“To say that.”

“What did I say?”

“That you wished you had gone away.”

“But surely,’ the minister faltered, “you
asked me to go.” :

“ How can you say so?” asked the gypsy,
reproachfully.

Gavin was distracted. ‘On my word,” he
said, earnestly, “I thought you did. And now
I have made you unhappy. Babbie, I wish I
were anybody but’ myself; I am a_ hopeless
lout.”

“ Now you are unjust,” said Babbie, hiding
her face.

“Again? To you?”