Bandit Love

Don Carlos took his leave a few minutes later, leaving Myra and Tony

alone together, and again Myra could not make up her mind whether or

not to tell her fiancé what had happened. It happened that Tony, as

soon as they were alone, became particularly sentimental and wanted to

kiss her--a fact which somehow seemed to make the situation still more

difficult and complicated.

"I don't want to be kissed, Tony," Myra objected, when her lover tried

to embrace her. "I feel as if I never want to be kissed again, and I

don't want any love-making. Leave me alone!"

"You certainly are in a queer mood to-day, Myra," Tony commented.

"What has upset you, darling? You were quite rude to poor old Don

Carlos, and now you are snubbing me. What's the matter, old thing?"

"Oh, Tony, my dear, I--I don't know just what is the matter with me,

and I don't know what to do," exclaimed Myra, laughing tremulously and

feeling inclined to give way to tears. "I don't understand myself.

Oh, why are you so stupid? Why don't you make love to me and force me

to kiss you? Why don't you kiss and kiss me against my will?"

"Why, hang it all, Myra, I've just been trying to make love to you and

asking you to give me a kiss, and you wouldn't. Now--oh, dash it all,

I don't know what to make of you, my dear. You are a most puzzling

girl!"

"And you are the most exasperatingly dull man," Myra retorted, still

half-laughing, half-crying. "Oh, Tony, my dear, take care of me and

love me terribly if you want to keep me. Hold me fast and grapple me

to you with hooks of steel, or you will lose me."

She almost hurled herself into Tony's arms, buried her face in his

shoulder, and burst into tears. Tony did not know what to make of it

at all, and he felt utterly helpless. Agitatedly he patted her on the

back and stroked her hair.

"Myra, for heaven's sake don't cry," he said, in what was intended to

be a soothing tone. "You make me feel so bally awful. I've never seen

you crying before, and I can't make out what is the matter. What on

earth has upset you, darling? You're quite hysterical. Hadn't I

better ring for your maid, dear?"

Poor Tony did not realise how sadly he was blundering, how sorely he

was failing in an emergency.

"Oh, why can't you understand!" burst out Myra passionately. "Why

can't you love in the right way? Don't pat my head and my back as if I

were a pet dog, you ninny! Tony, I--I--oh, I can't bear it!"