"How dare you, Ralph Endicott?" she cried. "I thought you were at least a gentleman. You go right away from here—now—this minute! I'll never speak to you again!"
"Why, I—I——"
Ralph was too startled for the moment to be angry. The girl ran in her bare feet to the comfort of Miss Heppy's ample person.
"Take me somewhere! Take me to your room, Miss Heppy. I never want to see him again. How dared he?"
"Oh, sugar!" murmured the perfectly amazed lightkeeper.
But the fires of rage began to glow within Ralph Endicott's bosom now, blown by the blast of Lorna's ingratitude. His face blazed.
"What do you mean?" he demanded. "I did not come here because I wanted to. You yelled loud enough for help. I—I——"
"That will do!" exclaimed Lorna, her head up, as regal as any angry little queen could be. "If you were a gentleman by nature you would have refused to stay here in the first place, when you knew the light was my only shelter."
"Well, of all the——"
"You can go on to Clinkerport. Telephone from the hotel to Aunt Ida and tell her where I am and whose care I am in. If the story that you and I remained here all night together is circulated about Harbor Bar, I'll never forgive you, Ralph Endicott!"