He regarded her in mock misery, as she fastened her coat.
"If they needed my attention as little as you do, I might not give them my time," she returned gravely. "O, I would love to see you make some use of your life!"
"Well, I like that!" he exclaimed, and he opened the door for her to pass out. He was in the habit of accompanying her as far as their way lay together. "Here am I going to a hard day's work, and you talk to me about using my life," he added ruefully.
"Yes, but you work for the sole purpose of getting money to spend in the pursuit of pleasure."
"How horribly frank you are!" he said good-humouredly. "Well, do you know what might make me change into the most active 'Mormon?'"
"What?" she asked him, facing him in wondering interest.
"You!" he said, with a little shake of the head. "If you would just get interested in me, enough to go out with me now and then, to keep me from getting 'lonesome, oh, so lonesome,' I would devote all my time to investigating your Gospel."
Betty looked her delight. "O? I will indeed. Everything I will do to to help you!" she returned earnestly, and they parted with bright smiles of friendship.
"Queer girl!" he muttered to himself, grimly, as he left her. "Just thinks I am about to be reawakened," and he gave a little laugh of amusement. "I wonder if she will ever"—and then he drew out a cigar, and puffed seriously while he thought.
"Just as those little rings of smoke form perfectly to ascend to the heavens, and then vanish into nothingness, so my aspirations for your hand, fair lady!" And he quickened his pace to suit his impatience at the flatness of things.