"He is—but look here, you needn't mind what he is. Don't you take it to heart——"
"I know what Paul is, thank you," haughtily.
"That's just what you don't——"
"Excuse me, Val——"
"Excuse me, Maud——"
"You are impertinent now, I shall listen no longer."
"Listen no longer? You haven't even begun to listen. Confound it, you shouldn't treat a fellow like this, when a fellow is doing all he can for you, and feels for you as—as I do. You know I've always been fond of you, Maud," softening, "and I've come to say that if you'll marry me instead——"
"Have you gone crazy, Val?" But vanity whispered a flattering solution of the problem, and his ear detected an opening. To the same suggestion Leo had cried "Nonsense!" and although affronted at first, he had ultimately accepted the "Nonsense!" with philosophy,—but he had weapons in reserve now, and would soon show that he was not "crazy". No, damn it, he was not "crazy". The idea!
With the rush of a torrent he told his tale.
"And you saw this—and you heard this?" said Maud, at last. "You did not dream it? You—you are sure you did not dream it?"