She stopped. The dark eyes which had been flashing lightnings in my direction suddenly filled with tears. My heart smote me. After all, she did not understand. Another plea of that kind and I should have—Well, I'm not sure what I should have done. But the plea was not spoken.
“Oh, what a fool I am!” she cried, fiercely. “Mr. Knowles,” pointing to the sporting-goods store, “I have made some purchases in that shop also. I expect you to pay for those as well. Will you or will you not?”
I was hesitating, weakly. She did not wait for me to reply.
“You WILL pay for them,” she declared, “and you will pay for others that I may make. I shall buy what I please and do what I please with my money which you are keeping from me. You will pay or take the consequences.”
That was enough. “I will not pay,” I said, firmly, “under any such arrangement.”
“You will NOT?”
“No, I will not.”
She looked as if—Well, if she had been a man I should have expected a blow. Her breast heaved and her fingers clenched. Then she turned and walked toward the shop with the cricket bats in the window.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“I am going to tell the man to send the things I have bought to Mayberry by carrier and I shall tell him to send the bill to you.”