"Don't cry, Tony," he begged. "I can't stand it. You needn't have worried. There wasn't any danger of anything like that happening. I care too much to let you in for anything of that sort. So does he for that matter. He saw it in a minute. He really wouldn't want to do you any harm anyway, Tony. Even I know that, and you must know it better than I."
Tony put down her hands, looked at Dick. "I suppose that is true," she sighed. "He does love me, Dick."
"He does, Tony. I wish he didn't. And I wish with all my heart I were sure you didn't love him."
Tony sighed again and her eyes fell.
"I wish—I were sure, too," she faltered.
Dick winced at that. He had no answer. What was there to say?
"I don't see why I should care. I don't see how I can care after to-night. He is horrid in lots of ways—a cad—just as you called him. I know Larry would feel just as you do and hate to have him come near me. Larry and I have almost quarreled about it now. He thinks Uncle Phil is all wrong not to forbid my seeing Alan at all. But Uncle Phil is too wise. He doesn't want to have me marry Alan any more than the rest of you do but he knows if he fights it it would put me on the other side in a minute and I'd do it, maybe, in spite of everybody."
"Tony, you aren't engaged to him?"
She shook her head.
"Not exactly. I am afraid I might as well be though. I said I didn't ever want to see him again, but I didn't mean it. I shall want to see him again by to-morrow. I always do no matter what he does. I always shall I am afraid. It is like that with me. I'm sorry, Dicky. I ought to have told you that before. I've been horrid not to, I know. Take me home now, please. I'm tired—awfully tired."