‘The what?’ with a drawing together of her pretty eyebrows.
‘The toll. When you have done that which every girl does who crosses the stepping-stones with her sweetheart.’
‘You are not my sweetheart.’
‘But you are mine, which comes to the same thing.’
‘I will go back.’
‘You dare not.’
‘I will’——
‘Go forward? You dare not.’ And with that he withdrew his hand.
Bella, finding herself without support, gave vent to a little shriek, whereupon Dick put out his hand again, at which she clutched wildly. Richard was hard-hearted enough to laugh.
‘This is mean—this is cowardly—this is contemptible!’ cried Bella with flaming eyes.