They rode for five blocks in silence.
Finally Greg said: "Why do you treat me so?"
It then appeared that this young lady who claimed to be an American still retained a considerable share of the fiery Latin temperament. "Treat you so!" she burst out. "Treat you so! How about the way you treat me! I showed you as plainly as I could that I didn't want you to come. What do you wish me to suppose when you come anyway? Do you wish to remind me that it is your cab, and you have a right to come?"
"But why?" stammered poor Greg. "What have I done since earlier to-night. Why didn't you want me to come?"
"Need you ask that?"
"I must ask it. What have I done?"
"Nothing. Men can be very dense when they wish to be!"
"I don't understand. Unless I have offended you in some way——"
"Well, I can't be riding around in taxi-cabs at one o'clock in the morning with a strange man, can I?"
"Oho!" said Greg, a great light breaking upon him. "But that's ridiculous!" he added presently.