"Oh! leave my mother alone."
"I wish she would leave me alone. She is always highly disagreeable to me. I believe it is a family failing," concluded Dinah spitefully.
"Don't marry me, then."
"I don't intend to--you--you bear!"
Beatrice listened to all this with covert amusement. She knew that the two loved one another too well to think of parting, whatever might be the grounds of their quarrel. "Come, come," she said soothingly, and prepared to play the part of peacemaker. "What is the matter? Is Jerry jealous?"
"No," snapped Dinah. "I am--very jealous. He"--she pointed to Jerry, who still looked sulky--"has been flirting with another girl. I was in the village an hour ago, and there was Jerry as bold as brass talking to a red-haired minx, who squinted."
"She doesn't squint," growled Jerry.
"There, you see; he defends her."
"Dinah!" cried Jerry in desperation, "how can you be so silly? I love you and you only."
"You love that horrid girl. I saw her looking at you."