“Rubbish!” Lois exclaimed, lightly.
“Nothing of the sort,” Captain Vandermere replied. “I was beginning to worry about you. I almost fancied——”
“Well?”
“It almost seemed,” he continued, a little awkwardly, “as though you had something on your mind. You seemed so queer every now and then, little girl,” he added, “I do hope that if there was anything bothering you, you’d tell me all about it. We’re old pals, you know.”
She laughed—not quite naturally.
“My dear Maurice,” she said, “of course there has been nothing of that sort the matter with me! What could I have on my mind?”
“No love affairs, eh?” he asked, stroking his fair moustache.
She shook her head thoughtfully.
“No!” she said. “No love affairs.”