"But you ask people to marry you!"
"Can't stop myself! It's the devil!"
"And none of them have accepted you?"
"Yes; one! A girl who was at college with my sister. A nice girl. I did get to loathe her!" with feeling. "We were engaged for one whole awful week!"
"How did you break it off, then?"
"She did. I loved her for that. She said I was too much like the young man in Stevenson who said being engaged was all right as long as her sisters were there. So she chucked me. And after that I've been lucky——I mean, you know what I mean!"
Olwen shook with laughter. "But, then, why d'you do it?" she persisted.
"I tell you I can't help it. It happens!"
"Why? For instance, why did you let it happen tonight? Quite frankly, why did you ask me?"
"Oh, you——!" he began, and he paused for a minute. "Oh, come," he said, "you are an awful nice little girl, you know. Anybody might be excused for losing his head. You were looking extra pretty at the party tonight, too. Some peach, you looked, if I may say so; and it wasn't just looks either. There was something about you. Sort of disturbing.... I swear there was. You attracted me till I——"