He laughed at her, exulting in his strength. "Oh, I am a brute now, am
I? Well, I'm not. I'm a man and your master. I want a kiss."
She ceased to struggle, but into her face and voice came something which
paralyzed his arms. Repentant and ashamed, he released her and stood
before her humbly, while she denounced him for "a rowdy with the manners
of a burglar." "This ends our acquaintance," she added, and she spurned
the book on the floor as if it were his worthless self.
He was scared now, and boyishly pleaded, "Don't go--don't be angry; I
was only joking."
She knew better than this. She had seen elemental fire flaming from his
eyes, and dared not remain. With proud lift of head she walked away,
leaving him penitent, bewildered, crushed.