She snatched her hand out of his. At first he thought he had offended her, but presently he perceived that she was moved by quite a different feeling. She was ashamed. She lifted an humble glance to his.
"You're right," she whispered. "It was just a moment of weakness. I wouldn't have let you give it up really, when I had had time to think. How will you be able to respect me now?"
He rapturously repossessed himself of her hand. "Kitty, you silly! Do you think I will be blaming you for loving me a little! How many times have I come to you ready to give up, and had you send me back into the fight again! This just equalizes things a little." He smiled at her teasingly. "You won't be able to be so superior, that's all!"
She looked at him with an odd shy light in her eyes that he had not seen before. "You goose! If you knew!"
"Let's get married anyway," he pleaded. "There's no manner of sense in putting it off any longer."
She shook her head "No. We set a task for ourselves. Let's accomplish it first."
"Well, tell me you love me, and I'll be satisfied."
"You know it. You've always known it."
"But tell me in plain downright English."
She did.