"But, Mollie! Good heavens! will you listen to me? Never mind your dress."
"Never mind my dress?" cried Miss Dane, shrilly. "Doctor Oleander, you're a perfect bear, and I've a good mind never to speak to you again as long as I live! Let us go back to the ball-room. If I had known you were going to act so, I'd have seen you considerably inconvenienced before I came with you here."
"Not until you answer me, Mollie."
"Answer you? Answer you what? You haven't asked me any question."
"I told you I loved you."
"Well," testily, "you don't call that a question?"
"Mollie, will you love me?"
"No—of course not! Oh, what a torment you are! Do let us go back!"
"Never!" exclaimed Dr. Oleander, gathering hope—"never, Mollie, until you answer me!"
He caught both her hands and held them fast, Mollie struggling in vain.