"You would grow tired of that."
"Only try me."
"You couldn't love me always, and pet me, and never get out of patience, and think I was perfect."
"I could—I should—I always shall! Oh, Elsie, Elsie, I love you so—I love you so!"
"Get up, Tom; you are a foolish old goosey!"
Tom started to his feet; those playful words were a cruel waking. He stood before her painfully white, and there was a suppressed sob in his voice as he cried, in passionate reproach:
"Oh, Elsie! Elsie!"
She gave a wicked laugh at his distress.
"So you really were in earnest?" she demanded.
"You know that I was," he said. "You are cruel—cruel!"