"Please give me one."
"I would rather not."
"But I insist upon it."
"And if I still refuse?"
"I shall stay here till you do answer."
"Oh, that will be delightful," he answered, laughing. "How quickly the days will pass."
"Oh, Mr. Sterne, I did not know you could be so provoking," she said, with a little pout.
"Do you really want a reason?" he said, looking gravely into her eyes.
"Really and truly."
"Well, then, my invention will affect only the toilers—the poor people if you like. Its success or failure will not matter one whit to Sir Charles Tregony, for instance, and you belong to the same circle, do you not?"