“Oh!” ejaculated the girl, as her cheeks flamed more hotly.
“I can’t help it now. I’ve been ever so miserable ever since I knew you were so bad; and when the old girl said what she did it regularly turned me over, and I was obliged to come. I say, I do love you, you know.”
“It is not love,” she cried hotly; “it is an insult. Go away. My brother will be here directly.”
“I don’t care for your brother,” said the young man, sulkily. “I’m as good as he is. I wanted to see how bad you were.”
“Well, you’ve seen. I’ve been nearly dead with fever and pain, and it was all through you that night.”
“Yes, it was all through me, dear.”
“Silence, sir; how dare you!”
“Because I love you, and ’pon my soul, I’d have been ten times as bad sooner than you should.”
“It is all false—a pack of cruel, wicked lies.”
“No, it ain’t. I know I’ve told lots of lies to girls, but then they were only fools, and I’ve been a regular beast, Jenny, but I’m going to be all square now; am, ’pon my word. I didn’t use to know what a real girl was in those days, but I’ve woke up now, and I’d do anything to please you. There, I feel sometimes as if I wish I were your dog.”