of business and you know it as
well as I."

"A right and wrong one, eh? and because you call me your friend
you assume that my end will be the wrong one."

"I do call you my friend, and I say the end must be the wrong one
here. There's no right end. Think of your family. You don't mean
to say--you dare not tell me, that you will marry her?"

"I _dare_ not tell you!" said Tom, starting up in his turn; "I
dare tell you or any man anything I please. But I won't tell you
or any man anything on compulsion."

"I repeat," went on Hardy, "you _dare_ not say you mean to marry
her. You don't mean it--and, as you don't, to kiss her as you did
to-night--"

"So you were sneaking behind to watch me!" burst out Tom, chafing
with wordnetanger, and glad to find any handle for a quarrel. The two men
stood fronting one another, the younger writhing with the sense
of  and outraged , and wordnetdesire for a fierce answer--a
blow--anything, to give vent