Ted acquiesced, since he had no choice, and rose, announcing that it was time to go now.
"We don't have to go yet. I told Grandpa I was going to spend the evening with my friend, Linda Bates. He won't know. We can stay as long as we like."
"I am afraid we can't," said Ted decidedly. "Come on, my lady." He held out both hands and Madeline let him draw her to her feet, though she was pouting a little at his gainsaying of her wishes.
"You may kiss me now," she said suddenly, lifting her face to his.
But Ted backed away. The code was still on. A girl of his own kind he would have kissed in a moment at such provocation, or none. But he had an odd feeling of needing to protect this girl from herself as well as from himself.
"You had more sense than I did last night. Let's follow your lead instead of mine," he said. "It's better."
"But Ted, you will come to-morrow?" she pleaded. "You won't forget or go back on your promise?"
"Of course, I'll come," promised Ted again readily.
Five minutes later they parted, he to take his car, and she to stroll in the opposite direction toward her friend Linda's house.
"He is a dear," she thought. "I'm glad he wouldn't kiss me, so there," she said aloud to a dusty daisy that peered up at her rather mockingly from the gutter.