“Eh? Oh, this was before you knew me.”
“Was it?” She looked across at him tantalizingly.
“Oh, yes. The moment you came along I changed my name and slipped out of my shell.... See here, what are you grinning at?... Say, have I ever met you before? I’m awfully forgetful.”
“I sat beside you for a full day on the way from Genoa. First days out are never agreeable to me.”
“You did!” he ejaculated. “Why didn’t you punch me?”
“I felt like it. A half-dozen passengers tried at one time or another to talk to you, but you froze them off with what seemed like malice.”
He laughed.
“I wanted to be alone. I’m in fine company when alone.”
“So when I saw you on deck that morning in Naples, I made a little bet with myself that you wouldn’t snub me.”
“And, by Jove, I didn’t!” he cried. “Give me credit for that!”