"And perhaps he doesn't care for me—in that way."
"The right man would. You're not hard to fall in love with, Clyde."
"Am I not—Casey?" She smiled up at him through the dark, a little tremor in her voice. She felt his fingers tighten on hers like bands of steel, crushing them together, and she was conscious of a strange joy in the pain of it.
"You know you are not!" he said tensely. "I could——" He broke off abruptly.
"Then why don't you?" she murmured softly.
"Why not?" he exclaimed. "I'd look pretty, wouldn't I, a busted land speculator, falling in love with you! I've some sense of the fitness of things. But when you look at me like that——"
He stooped swiftly and kissed her, drawing her to him almost fiercely. "Oh, girl!" he said, "why did you tempt me? I've forgotten what was due you as my guest. I've forgotten all that I've been remembering so carefully for weeks. Now it's over. Some day the right man will tell you how he loves you."
"I am waiting," she whispered, "for the 'right man' to tell me now!"
"Why," he exclaimed incredulously, "you don't mean——"
"But I do mean," she replied. "Oh, Casey, boy, didn't you know? Couldn't you guess? Must I do all the love-making myself?"