"Aren't you generous enough to remind me that but for your timely interference I should have beaten my own dog to death only yesterday?
You were almost ready to flog me for it at the time." "Oh, that!" Avery said, looking away again.

"Yes, of course I might remind you of that if I wanted to be personal; but, you see,--I don't." "Why not!" said Piers stubbornly.

"You were personal enough yesterday." The dimple, for which Avery was certainly not responsible, appeared suddenly near her mouth.

"I am afraid I lost my temper yesterday," she said.
"How wrong of you!" said Piers.

"I hope you confessed to the Reverend Stephen." She glanced at him again and became grave.