He didn’t even jump out of the trap. He sat there beside me, looking at me with his eager gray eyes, while the pony strolled along, cropping the wild flowers on either side of the road. It was quite evident that he intended having an answer. Somehow as I looked down I seemed to see a pale, shy face looking in at me from a dark background, and to hear Sol’s voice as he declared his love. Poor fellow! he was first in the field at any rate.
“Could you, Nell?” asked Jack once more.
“I like you very much, Jack,” said I, looking up at him nervously; “but”—how his face changed at that monosyllable!—“I don’t think I like you enough for that. Besides, I’m so young, you know. I suppose I ought to be very much complimented and that sort of thing by your offer; but you mustn’t think of me in that light any more.”
“You refuse me, then?” said Jack, turning a little white.
“Why don’t you go and ask Elsie?” cried I in despair. “Why should you all come to me.”
“I don’t want Elsie,” cried Jack, giving the pony a cut with his whip which rather astonished that easy-going quadruped. “What do you mean by ’all,’ Nell?”
No answer.
“I see how it is,” said Jack, bitterly; “I’ve noticed how that cousin of yours has been hanging round you ever since I have been here. You are engaged to him.”
“No, I’m not,” said I.
“Thank God for that!” responded Jack, devoutly. “There is some hope yet. Perhaps you will come to think better of it in time. Tell me, Nelly, are you fond of that fool of a medical student?”