It's raining in."

The beetle obeyed. He stood in an expectant attitude, his head cocked a little to one side, and squinted through the crack.

"Please hurry," he grumbled.

Maya was tense with eagerness to see what sort of a creature would come out of the hole. She crept so far out on the edge of the blossom that a drop of rain fell on her shoulder, and gave her a start. She wiped herself dry.

Below her the withered leaf heaved; a brown insect crept out, slowly. Maya thought it was the queerest specimen she had ever seen. It had a plump body, set on extremely thin, slow-moving legs, and a fearfully thick head, with little upright feelers. It looked flustered."Good morning, Effie dear." The beetle went slim with politeness. He was all politeness, and his body seemed really slim. 
"How did you sleep? How did you sleep, my precious--my all?"
Effie took his hand rather stonily.
"It can't be, Bobbie," she said. "I can't go with you. We're creating too much talk."
Poor Bobbie looked quite alarmed.
"I don't understand," he stammered. "I don't understand.-- Is our new-found happiness to be wrecked by such nonsense? Effie, think--think the thing over. What do _you_ care _what_ people say? You have your hole, you can creep into it whenever you like, and if you go down far enough, you won't hear a syllable."
Effie smiled a sad, superior smile.
"Bobbie, you don't understand. I have my own views in the matter.-- Besides, there's something else. You have been exceedingly indelicate. You took advantage of my ignorance. You let me think you were a rose-beetle and yesterday the snail told me you are a tumble-bug. A considerable difference! He saw you engaged in--well, doing something I don't care to mention. I'm sure you will now admit that I must take back my word."
Bobbie was stunned. When he recovered from the shock he burst out angrily:
"No, I _don't_ understand. I can't understand. I want to be loved for myself, and not for my business."
"If only it weren't dung," said Effie offishly, "anything but dung, I shouldn't be so particular.-- And please remember, I'm a young widow who lost her husband only three days ago under the most tragic circumstances--he was gobbled up by the shrewmouse--and it isn't proper for me to be gadding about. A young widow should lead a life of complete retirement. So--good-by."
Pop into her hole went Effie, as though a puff of wind had blown her away. Maya would never have thought it possible that anyone could dive into the ground as fast as that.
Effie was gone, and Bobbie stared in blank bewilderment down the empty dark opening, looking so utterly 

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