Marjorie made a scene. She sprang upon the platform and stamped her
foot.
"Penrod Schofield!" she shouted. "You BEHAVE yourself!"
The remarkable girl took Penrod by the ear. By his ear she swung him
away from Fanchon and faced him toward the lawn.
"You march straight out of here!" she commanded.
Penrod marched.
He was stunned; obeyed automatically, without question, and had very
little realization of what was happening to him. Altogether, and without
reason, he was in precisely the condition of an elderly spouse detected
in flagrant misbehaviour. Marjorie, similarly, was in precisely the
condition of the party who detects such misbehaviour. It may be added
that she had acted with a promptness, a decision and a disregard of
social consequences all to be commended to the attention of ladies in
like predicament.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" she raged, when they reached the
lawn. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"What for?" he inquired, helplessly.
"You be quiet!"
"But what'd _I_ do, Marjorie? _I_ haven't done anything to you," he
pleaded. "I haven't even seen you, all aftern----"
"You be quiet!" she cried, tears filling her eyes. "Keep still! You ugly
boy! Shut up!"
She slapped him.
He should have understood from this how much she cared for him. But he
rubbed his cheek and declared ruefully:
"I'll never speak to you again!"
"You will, too!" she sobbed, passionately.
"I will not!"
He turned to leave her, but paused.
Pages:
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231