The Black Moth

"That will be most enjoyable, I make no doubt!" she answered, andstepped back out of reach.

"Oh, thank you, John!" She tied the hat over her curls, and placed herhand on my lord's arm. "Lazy Miles is going to sleep again!" she said."And I so dislike to hear him snore, so let's go a long way away--intothe rose garden!"

"Don't go so far as all that!" drawled Miles, closing his eyes. "Youwill tire yourselves."

"Do you allow him to make these ribald remarks?" inquired Jack, waitingfor her to extricate a stone from her shoe.

"Not usually," she answered. "He takes advantage when you are here." Shedropped the pebble on top of O'Hara and strolled away with my lord.

As soon as they had rounded a corner in the shrubbery, she commenced theattack.

"I want to speak to you of Miles," she confided. "He is so worried."

"Is he, Molly? Faith, I hadn't noticed it!"

She reflected that neither had she, but continued, nothing daunted:

"Ah, but he is!"

"What worries him?"

"You," sighed the lady mournfully. "'Tis the thought of your leaving us.I feel it myself."

"Why--"

"He had hoped you would be with us for a long time--as I had."

"'Tis monstrous good of you both, but--"

"I am sure I do not know what I shall do with Miles when you are gone.He was so looking forward to having you with him."

"Molly--"

"And, indeed, it has come as a great disappointment to both of us tohear you talk of leaving. Won't you think better of it?"

"Molly, you overwhelm me.... How can I remain here indefinitely?"

"If only you would! You don't know how happy it would make us. I declareMiles will worry himself quite ill if you persist in being so unkind."

"Oh, Molly, you rogue!"

She could not repress a smile, but checked it almost at once. "I meanit, Jack."

"What! That Miles is worrying himself ill over me? Fie!"

"Perhaps not as bad as that," she admitted. "But, indeed, he is muchperturbed ... and, oh! I wish that you would not make us so unhappy."She dabbed at her eyes with a wispy handkerchief, but managed to watchhis face all the same. "David loves you so, the pet! and Miles is sodelighted to have found you again--and _I_ like you--and--and--and Ithink 'twill be indeed rude and horrid if you do go--besides being sosilly!"

"Do you, Molly? You make me feel I should be an ungrateful boor torefuse--"

The handkerchief was whisked away.

"Then, of course you won't try to refuse! You'll stay? Promise!"

"I cannot thank you enough--"

"Oh, you nice Jack! Till the autumn? Promise!"

"Molly, I really--"