The angry tears were in her eyes, and her face was drawn with her effort to sustain the self-control which had so nearly broken down. His expression lost its roguishness, and in his turn he became grave.
"No," he said half-bitterly, "perhaps not. Of course I haven't; but it is something of a temptation when you are so determined to believe the worst of me."
She regarded him in bewilderment.
"Determined to believe the worst?" she echoed. "Aren't you engaged to May Calthorpe?"
He took off his hat, and made her a profound and mocking bow.
"I apparently have that honor," he said.
"Then why am I not to believe it?"
He looked at her a moment as if about to explain, then with the air of finding it hopeless he set his lips together.
"If you will tell me what you mean," Alice went on, "I may understand. As it is I have your own word that you are engaged; you certainly do not pretend that you care for May; and you know that your mother made the match. You may be sure, Jack," she added, her voice softening a little only to harden again, "that if there were any way of excusing you I should have found it out. I'm still foolish enough to cling to old friendship."
His glance softened, and he regarded her with a look under which she changed color and drew away from him.