The next day, at the office, I was careful to keep altogether out of Dolly’s way. Indeed, my work taking me elsewhere, I never once saw her and went home in the evening unenlightened by a single glance from her gray eyes. This, the better policy, I thought, would save us both embarrassment and the annoyance of any curiosity on the part of her fellow-workers, who would surely be quick to detect a romantic state of affairs between us.
Nevertheless, despite my self-confidence, I awaited that evening in some trepidation the answer that was to decide the direction of my future.
We were sitting at supper when it came, held by one corner in her apron by our landlady, and my face went pale as I saw the schoolgirl superscription.
“From Dolly?” murmured Duke.
I nodded and broke the seal. My hands trembled and a mist was before my eyes. It ran as follows:
“Dear Renny: Thank you very, very much for your kind offer, but I can’t accept it. I thought I had so much to say, and this is all I can think of. I hope it won’t hurt you. It can’t, I know, for long, because now I see I was never really the first in your heart; and your letter don’t sound as if you will find it very difficult to get over. Please forgive me if I’m wrong, but anyhow it’s too late now. I might have once, but I can’t now, Renny. I think perhaps I became a woman all in a moment yesterday. Please don’t write or say a word to me again about this, for I mean it really and truly. Your affectionate friend,
Dolly Mellison.”
“P. S.—It was a little unfair of you, I must say, not to tell me about that Zyp.”
I sat and returned the letter to its folds quite coolly and calmly. If there was fire in me, I kept it under then.
“Duke,” I said, quietly, “she has refused me.”