"I hope
a girl will stick by me as squarely when I am beginning to totter."
"Have you ever been as good to one?" she asked quite seriously, and
wondered why he laughed.
"Well, I doubt if I ever have, but I'd like very much to begin."
"You're not a grandfather, Mr. Jonathan."
"No, I'm not a grandfather--but, when I come to think of it, I'm a
cousin."
She accepted this with composure. "Are you?" she inquired indifferently
after a minute.
While she spoke he asked himself if she were really dull, or if she
had already learned to fence with her exrustic weapons? Her face was
brimming with expression, but, as he reminded himself, one never could
tell.
"I haven't any cousin but you, Molly. Don't you think you can agree to
take me?"
She shook her head, and he saw, or imagined he saw, the shadow of her
indignant surprise darken her features.
"I've never thought of you as my cousin," she answered.
"But I am, Molly."
"I don't think of you so," she retorted. Again, as in the case
of Kesiah's advances, she was refusing to constitute a law by her
acknowledgment.
"Don't you think if you tried very hard you might begin to?"
"Why should I try?"
"Well, suppose we say just because I want you to.
Pages:
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302