“So she’s told me a number of times!” and he laughed again, an easy, happy, self-satisfied laugh.
She faced about, curiosity in her heart. Had something happened without her knowledge? Would he seem so sure, would he wear openly that look of confident love if Rhoda had not accepted him? The imp of mischief stirred once more in her breast. She moved a step nearer.
“Say, do you know, Jeff, that’s the first time a man ever kissed me!”
“You’ve had better luck than you deserve, little sister.”
“If you’re so much in love with Rhoda what did you want to do it for?”
“Why did you look as if you wanted me to if you didn’t?”
“I didn’t look that way!”
“Oh, didn’t you? Then my previous observations have been at fault. Perhaps I thought I’d like to find out why you sent me that anonymous letter. At first I thought you meant it as a hint for Rhoda’s sake. But after you’d been five minutes in this room it seemed to me that you were taking very queer means for advancing her interests. If you had unfortunately fallen in love with me yourself it wouldn’t have been quite so bad. But you haven’t, little sister, you haven’t. You’d have wanted me to kiss you again if you had.”
“You’re a horrid brute, that’s what you are, and I hate you!”
“I’m sorry to hear it, for I’ve always liked you, and you’re Rhoda’s sister. But I hope you’ll remember that treachery isn’t a nice thing, in either love or war.”