TOO OBLIGING BY HALF.
"No refreshments for me!" cried Vinnie, quickly.
"The other ladies will like some," said the youth, carelessly. "Intimate friends of mine. Just a little cake and sweet wine."
"But you have ordered only two glasses! And a few minutes ago you couldn't think of their names,—those intimate friends of yours!" returned Vinnie, with sparkling eyes.
The youth took up a glass, threw himself back in a chair, and laughed.
"It's a very uncommon name,—Jenkins; no, Judkins; something like that. Neighbors of the Bettersons; intimate friends of theirs, I mean. You think I'm not acquainted out there? Ask Carrie! ask the boys, hi, hi!"—with a giggle and a grimace, as he sipped the wine.
"You do really know my sister Caroline?" said Vinnie.
The youth set down his glass and stared.
"Your sister! I wondered who in thunder you could be, inquiring your way to Betterson's; but I never dreamed—Excuse me, I wouldn't have played such a joke, if I had known!"
"What joke?" Vinnie demanded.
"Why, there's no Jenkins,—Judkins,—what did I call their names? I just wanted to have a little fun, and find you out."
Vinnie trembled with indignation. She started to go.
"But you haven't found me out," he said, with an impudent chuckle.
"I've found out all I wish to know of you," said Vinnie, ready to cry with vexation. "I've come alone all the way from my home in Western New York, and met nobody who wasn't kind and respectful to me, till I reached Chicago to-day."
The wretch seemed slightly touched by this rebuke; but he laughed again as he finished his glass.
"Well, it was a low trick. But't was all in fun, I tell ye. Come, drink your wine, and make up; we'll be friends yet. Won't drink? Here goes, then!" And he tossed off the contents of the second glass. "Now we'll take a little walk, and talk over our Betterson friends by the way."
She was already out of the room. He hastened to her side; she walked faster still, and he came tripping lightly after her down the stairs.
Betwixt anger and alarm, she was wondering whether she should try to run away from him, or ask the protection of the first person she met, when, looking eagerly from the doorway as she hurried out, she saw, across the street, a face she knew, and uttered a cry of joy.
"Jack! O Jack!"
It seemed almost like a dream, that it should indeed be Jack, then and there. He paused, glanced up and down, then across at the girlish figure starting toward him, and rushed over to her, reaching out both hands, and exclaiming,—
"Vinnie Dalton! is it you?"
In the surprise and pleasure of this unexpected meeting, she forgot all about the slim youth she was so eager to avoid a moment before. When she thought of him again, and looked about her, he had disappeared, having slipped behind her, and skipped back up the stairs with amazing agility at sight of Jack.