“I knew where you’d gone,” he said, nodding with a knowing air. “So I came to see you home.”
He was still rather nervous, which was perhaps the reason why he failed to perceive the full extent of her annoyance at this second meeting. He had, besides, primed himself for a speech, and that speech he meant to make.
“We were interrupted just now in the hayfield,” he began—“just when I was on the point of—”
“Oh, never mind now,” broke in Olivia, impatiently, “I have something to think about.”
“Well, what I am going to say to you don’t require thinking about; I want you to marry me. Yes or No.”
“No!” said Olivia promptly.
“Of course I knew you’d say that first go off. But let me reason with you a little. You must get married some time. You like another fellow better than me—”
“I do—a great many other fellows!”
“Well, but one in particular. Now you can’t have him, and you can have me. And if you do have me, you can do a good turn to the other fellow.”
“What do you mean?” asked the girl, turning white at the young man’s tone.