“I can’t,” he gasped.
She looked at him wonderingly.
“I must—my sisters—nobody is with them. Do not be angry.”
“Take me back to the table,” she said.
He did so. Neither spoke a word.
Five minutes later he came upon his sisters, who, arm in arm with the Erdmanns, were trying to slip off to the wood.
“Where are you going?” he asked, stepping between them.
They lowered their eyes in embarrassment, and Katie stammered, “We—wanted to go for a little walk.”
The brothers Erdmann took the tone of good-fellowship, shook hands with him heartily, and wished most ardently to renew the friendship of their youthful days. Behind his back they shook their fists at him.
“You will go at once to your mother,” he said to the twins, and as they began to sulk he took their arms and drew them away. The table was half deserted. The Douglas family had left the festival.