He flared again.

"Do you mean to tell me they dare say--"

"They dare say anything--behind our backs," she said, with cool contempt.
"It's all drivelling nonsense. I care nothing about it. But you asked me.
Don't bother your head about it. Have you anything to suggest doing this
morning, instead of Yet Lee's?" She turned away from him toward the door
leading into another room. "I'll get my hat," she said over her shoulder.

"Look here, Patsy," said Sherwood, rather grimly, "if you want to get in
with that lot, you shall."

She stopped at this, and turned square around.

"If I do--when I do--I will," she replied. "But, John Sherwood, you mustn't
interfere--never in the world! Promise!" She stood there, almost menacing
in her insistence, evidently resolved to nip this particularly masculine
resolution in the bud.

"Egad, Patsy," cried Sherwood, "you are certainly a raving beauty!"

He covered the ground between them in two strides, and crushed her in his
arms. She threw her head back for his kiss.

A knock sounded, and almost immediately a very black, very bullet-headed
young negro thrust his head in at the door.

"Sam," said Sherwood deliberately, "some day I'm going to kill you!"