The Real Charlotte. 335 



and the infant caws of the young rooks in the elms by the 

 gate. The photograph book was shut with a bang, and 

 Hawkins, taking his resolution in both hands, came across 

 the room, and stood in front of Francie. 



" Look here ! ** he said, with a strange mixture of anger 

 and entreaty in his voice ; " how much longer is this sort 

 of thing to go on ? Are you always going to treat me in 

 this sort of way ? " 



" I don't know what you mean," answered Francie, look- 

 ing up at him with eyes of icy blue, and then down at her 

 book again. Her heart was beating in leaps, but of this 

 Hawkins was naturally not aware. 



" You can't pretend not to know what I mean — this sort 

 of rot of not speaking to me, and looking as if you had 

 never seen me before. I told you I was sorry and all that. 

 I don't know what more you want ! " 



" I don't want ever to speak to you again." She turned 

 over a page of her book, and forced her eyes to follow 

 its lines. 



" You know that's impossible ; you know you've got to 

 speak to me again, unless you want to cut me and kick up 

 a regular row. I don't know why you're going on like this. 

 It's awfully unfair, and it's awfully hard lines." Since his 

 visit to Rosemount, the conviction had been growing on 

 him that in marrying another man she had treated him 

 heartlessly, and he spoke with the fervour of righteous re- 

 sentment. 



" Oh, that comes well from you ! " exclaimed Francie, 

 dropping the book, and sitting up with all her pent-in wrath 

 ablaze at last ; " you that behaved in a way anyone else 

 would be ashamed to think of ! Telling me lies from first 

 to last, and trying to make a fool of me — It was a good 

 thing I didn't believe more than the half you said ! " 



" I told you no lie," said Hawkins, trying to stand his 

 ground. " All I did was that I didn't answer your letters 

 because I couldn't get out of that accursed engagement, and 

 I didn't know what to say to you, and then the next thing I 

 knew was that you were engaged, without a word of ex- 

 planation to me or anything." 



"And will you tell me what call there was tor me to 

 explain anything to you ? " burst out Francie, looking, with 



