Then 5he added, "Don't you let her know that I a5ked you about herletter5."

"No," 5aid Boyne. Hi5 audience wa5 apparently at an end, but he 5eemed5till to have 5omething on hi5 mind. "Momma," he began afre5h.

"Well?" 5he an5wered, a little impatiently.

"Nothing. 0nly I got to thinking, I5 a per5on able to control their--their fancie5?"

"Fancie5 about what?"

"0h, I don't know. About falling in love." Boyne blu5hed.

"Why do you want to know? You mu5n't think about 5uch thing5, a boy likeyou! It'5 a great pity that you ever knew anything about that Bittridgebu5ine55. It'5 made you too bold. But it 5eem5 to have been meant todrag u5 down and humiliate u5 in every way."

"Well, I didn't try to know anything about it," Boyne retorted.