"Don't follow her," advised Ruth, in a low, controlled voice, "it's best to let her alone when she acts like that ... she'll have it out, and come back, smiling, in an hour or so."
I plunged on. Ruth ran after me, catching me by the shoulder from behind.
"Listen to me. Take my advice and keep out of this—Johnnie!" she called my name with a tender drop in her voice.
If it had not been for her tell-tale pronouncement of my name I might have listened to her ... but that made me angry, and it ran through my mind how she and Penton had fatuously arranged my marrying her....
I ran after Hildreth. She slammed the door when I was so close upon her that the wind of its shutting went against my face like a blow.
I found myself on my knees by the door.
"Let me in," I said through the key-hole, for the door was locked; she had thrown the bolt on the inside.
"Go away, Johnnie, I want to be alone."
"Hildreth, dearest woman, do let me in. It hurts my heart to see you so suffer so."
"I don't want to see anybody. I want to die."