"No, she can sit with Julian," said Lottie, "and I will go to Mr.
Hemstead. He shall not be left alone."
"O Miss Lottie! please forgive me," pleaded De Forrest; "I did not mean what I said a moment since."
"Well, I'll forgive you, but shall punish you a little. Stop the horses again, Mr. Hemstead; that is, if you don't object to my company."
The horses stopped very suddenly.
"Please don't leave me," said De Forrest.
"It's only carrying out the mischief we plotted, you know," she whispered.
"Well, I submit on that ground only," he replied discontentedly, and with a shade of doubt in his mind. It seemed very strange, even to him, that Lottie could coolly continue to victimize one who had just rendered them so great a service. But the truth was, that she, in her desire to escape from him, had said what she thought would be apt to quiet his objections without much regard for the truth. She hardly recognized her own motive for wishing to sit by Hemstead, beyond that she was grateful, and found him far more interesting than the egotistical lover, who to-day, for some reason, had proved himself very wearisome.
"Hemstead heard nothing of this, and was much pleased when Lottie stepped lightly over and took her place socially at his side.
"It's very kind of you," he said.
"I didn't come out of kindness," she replied, in a low tone for his ear alone.