“Oh, don’t tease a chap so. What’s the use? Been tryin’ to see you for weeks. You’ve been avoidin’ me, Jane. What I want to know is—why?”
“I don’t want to avoid you. If I did, I shouldn’t be with you to-day, should I?”
There seemed to be no reply to that and Van Duyn’s frown only deepened.
“I thought we were goin’ to be friends,” he went on slowly. “We had a quarrel up at camp, but I thought we’d straightened that out. You forgave me, didn’t you?”
“Oh, yes. I couldn’t very well do anything else. But you’ll have to admit I’d never done anything to warrant——”
“I was a fool. Sorry for what I did, too. When you got back I told you so. I’m a fool still, but I’ve got sense enough to be patient. Pretty rough, though, the way you treat me. Thinkin’ about you most of the time—all upset—don’t sleep the way I ought—things don’t taste right. I’m in love with you, Jane——”
“I thought you had promised not to speak of that again,” she put in with lowered voice.
“Oh, hang it! I’ve got to speak of it,” he growled. “When a fellow wants to marry a girl, he can’t stay in the background and see other fellows payin’ her attention—hear stories of——”
Jane looked up, her eyes questioning sharply and Coleman Van Duyn stopped short. He had not meant to go so far.