"
The gangways were being drawn away. A hoarse boom filled the air, and
then a cheer.
"But I shall miss the boat," the dazed girl protested.
"Jump in."
He pushed her in.
"But I shall miss the..."
"I know you will," he replied, as if angrily. "Do you suppose I was
going to let you go by that steamer? Not much."
"But mother and father..."
"I'll telegraph. They'll get it on landing."
"And where's Ruth?"
"_Be hanged to Ruth!_" he shouted furiously.
As the cab rattled over the cobbles the _Titubic_ slipped away from
the landing-stage. The irretrievable had happened.
Nellie burst into tears.
"Look here," Denry said savagely. "If you don't dry up, I shall have to
cry myself."
"What are you going to do with me?" she whimpered.
"Well, what do _you_ think? I'm going to marry you, of course."
His aggrieved tone might have been supposed to imply that people had
tried to thwart him, but that he had no intention of being thwarted, nor
of asking permissions, nor of conducting himself as anything but a
fierce tyrant.
As for Nellie, she seemed to surrender.
Then he kissed her--also angrily.
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