"Why—why, you'll tell her!" he exclaimed.
It was Mary's turn to look upward at Bill, which she did steadily for several seconds.
"Once again, Mr. Marshall, I ask you, whose secretary am I?"
"Miss Norcross! You mean——"
"I mean that I do not peddle gossip," she said sharply.
Bill had seized her hand and was crushing it; when she managed to withdraw it her fingers were aching.
"You're an ace," he said joyously. "I thought, of course——"
"I do not think you had any business to believe I would tell," said Mary. "If I have given you any cause to think so I'm not aware of it."
"You're a whole fist full of aces!" he declared fervently.
But Mary had no intention of relinquishing any advantage that she held.