“Yes, I’d get well sooner if I could,” and he sighed again. Then his ivory skin grew scarlet even to his temples, but the blood rushed away, leaving him deathly white. Molly went to him quickly and leaned over the bed. She wanted—oh, how she wanted to feel his arms about her! But he only touched her cold hand lightly.
“Help me, Molly,” he breathed.
Molly choked back an explanation. She would glory in doing anything for him—anything within her power; but nothing, nothing for Jinnie Grandoken. Suddenly an idea took possession of her. She would make him doubt Jinnie’s love for him, even if she lied to him.
“Of course I knew you cared for her,” she said slowly.
“Yes, I made that clear, I think,” said Theo, “and she cares for me. I told you I asked her to marry me.”
He laid stress on the latter half of his statement because of a certain emphasis in Molly’s.
“I don’t like to hurt you—while you’re ill,” she ventured.
Theodore thrust forth his hand eagerly.
“Come closer,” he pleaded. “You know something; you can tell me. Please do, Molly.”
“I don’t know much, mind you, Theo––”