You
surely won't leave--you _can't_." Chapin added, hopefully:
"Why, you would break up Jean's party. You see, there's nobody
around here to take your place."
"But--"
"Nonsense! This is an unconventional country. What's wrong with
you as a chaperon, anyway? Nobody out here even knows what a
chaperon is. And I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Do you really think that would help?" Roberta's eyes laughed
humorously.
"I'm not thinking of the others, I'm thinking of myself,"
declared the young man, boldly. "I don't want you to go before I
return. You must not! If you go, I--I shall follow you." He
grasped her hand impulsively.
"Oh!" exclaimed the chaperon. "This makes it even more impossible.
Go! _Go!_" She pushed him away, her color surging. "Go to your
old Eleven X Ranch right away."
"But I mean it," he declared, earnestly. Then, as she retreated
farther: "It's no use, I sha'n't go now until--"
"You have known me less than a week!"
"That is long enough. Roberta--"
Mrs. Keap spoke with honest embarrassment. "Listen! Don't you see
what a situation this is? If Jean and Helen should ever discover--"
"Jean planned it all; even this.
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