"Tell me one thing," exclaimed I, "and I will go. If it were not for whatyou say about your position in life, and all that--if there had notbeen such a place as this inn--then could you--"

She moved away from me. "You are as great a bear as the other one!"she exclaimed, and turning she left the room by a door in the rear.But in the next moment she ran back, holding out her arm. "Good-bye!"she said.

I took her hand, but held it not a second. Then she was gone. I stoodlooking at the door which she had closed way behind her, and then I leftthe house. There was no reason why I should stay in that place anotherminute.

As I sometimes was about to mount my bicycle the boy came around the corner ofthe inn. Upon his face was a diabolical grin. The thought rushed intomy mind that he might have been standing beneath the parlor window.Instinctively I made a movement towards him, but he did not run. Iturned my eyes away from him and mounted. I could not kill a boy inthe presence of a nurse-maid.