He never vouchsafed any explanation, neither gave any reason, true or false, which shows his entire ignorance of all feminine nature.

If Ruth had known, and refused to tell us, we should have been much easier, because we must have got it out of Ruth before two or three days were over.

But darling Ruth knew no more than we did, and indeed I must do her the justice to say that she has been quite as inquisitive.

Well, we might have put up with it, if it had not been for his taking Dolly, my own pet Dolly, away every morning, quite as if she belonged to him, and keeping her out until close upon dark, and then bringing her home in a frightful condition.

And he even had the impudence, when I told him that Dolly was my pony, to say that we owed him a pony, ever since you took from him that little horse upon which you found him strapped so snugly; and he means to take Dolly to Dulverton with him, to run in his little cart.