Her free, joyous laugh interrupted him.
“Oh, you don’t know how relieved I am,” she cried. “I thought it was something really serious. Something I had done to offend you. So that’s the explanation, is it? You wanted to give me every chance in the world to catch a beau—and to keep him. It’s awfully kind of you, Oliver. Quixotic and silly and presumptuous—but kind. I am glad you’ve told me. As you say, it is none of your business. So I shan’t burden you with my affairs. There is no reason why you should make me miserable and unhappy, however, just because you want to be what you call fair and square. It’s just dirt mean of you, that’s what it is. So now you know how I feel. Why, suppose I were in love with some one—even suppose I were engaged—is that any reason why the oldest friend I have in the world should turn his back on me and—”
“Now, now! Don’t lose your temper, Jane!”
“I’m not angry. I’m hurt. You’ve been in love with loads of girls—heaven knows how many that I don’t know anything about—but has that ever made any difference in my friendship for you? Indeed it hasn’t. You—”
“Then you are in love with Lansing?” he broke in recklessly.
“I haven’t said so, have I? Besides there is only one person who has a right to ask me whether I’m in love with him or not and that is Doctor Lansing himself.”
“That was one straight to the point of the jaw,” cried he, with a grimace.
“So you needn’t feel you are doing me a good turn by avoiding me,” she went on. “On the contrary, you are putting me in an extremely unenviable position. What do you think people will say if you—of all persons—drop me like a hot potato and—”
“Now, listen, Jane,” he began defensively. “I thought I was doing the right thing. You see, it isn’t the same as it would be if I were a contender. Good Lord, can you see me standing aside in favor of another fellow if I was in love with you? I should say not! I’d stay him out if it took all night every night for ten years. But I want to play the game. Why, if I keep on coming to see you morning, noon and night, I’ll scare Lansing off and he—he’ll take to drink or something like that,” he wound up whimsically.
“I don’t believe even as redoubtable a character as you could scare him off, my dear Oliver,” said she, not without a trace of irony.