“You may have mine, if you will promise to bring Effie in at precisely half-past four; Clarence will be reading poetry aloud by that time.”
“I promise; and I might just as well stop in and get the hand mirror now. You won’t want me to leave you a moment to-morrow.
“Indeed, I shall not. By the way, of course I told you that I cracked the mirror breaking taffy the other afternoon! No? Why, I wonder how I could have overlooked the fact.”
“Never mind, dear, Ned Crœsus will have it mended for me—and thank me for letting him do it, instead of Dick. By the way, how can you endure so much of Clarence’s society? You always said he was so stupid.”
“That was when he used to talk of nothing but Effie. Any man would be stupid, if his only theme was another girl. You—you couldn’t let Jack know about Clarence, could you? If it was any one else Effie would tell him the first time she was provoked with him. Frances will be careful not to let him know, and men have such silly ideas about interfering with other peoples’ affairs, that I doubt if any of them say a word to him about the matter.”
“I might. Yes, I know I could, if only I was sure that you would not blame me if it turned out badly.”
“Well, Emily Marshmallow, to think of refusing to do a little thing like that for me—when I’ve just given you that lovely hand mirror, which I like better than anything I own. I just believe you want Jack Bittersweet yourself, and I’m sure you are welcome to him, for aught I care!”
“Look here, Dorothy, I think you forget that Jack is two whole inches shorter than I; and if you think I am capable of caring enough for any man to make myself look like a—a bean pole for the rest of my natural life, you are very much mistaken!”
“Oh, well, if you are sorry to have hurt my feelings, of course I shall overlook it. I only hope, however, that you will not rely too much on my natural amiability and push me too far. If you should see Jack in the near future you might, as you suggested,—”
“But, I didn’t suggest at all. You must just tell me what you want me to say to Jack and, if I get a chance, I—”