He guv a grone, and set down in the chare, leening forward wid his hands prissed thegither. Miss Claire stud there cauldly, but she did not look at Mr. Harry anny more.
Suddintly he throo back his hed and guv a little larf. Thin he got up and picked up his hat and moved tord the dure.
“Stop!” ses Miss Claire, toorning rownd suddintly, “wait wan minit” ses she. “Ansser me this Mr. Dudley,” ses she. “What rite have you, an ingaged man, to spake to me in such a way?”
“What rite have I” ses he, looking biterly amoosed “Yes” ses he, “throo, I was ingaged wance, Miss Wolley. I belave” ses he, “I guv you me muther’s ring.”
“No!” ses she, and her voyce rung out pashunutly “Not that! I don’t meen that ingagemint——ef you considered it ever such” ses she, and her voyce catched oop in her throte which she hild wid her hand, “I mean” ses she, “yure ingagemint to Una Robbins. You——”
He looked so flabbygasted that she stopped.
“What do you mean?” ses he.
“Oh you know, you know” ses she. “Befure you were gone a fortnite” ses she “yure ingagemint was annownced.” “My ingage——Claire!” ses he horsely, and he saized hold of her hand vilintly. “Theres sum misurable mistake. You’ve been misled, desaved.”
“No, no, no” ses she struggling to free her hands, which he let go suddintly. “It was annownsed” ses she. “You know it. You know it.”
“Annownced whare?” ses he cauldly.