“Yes,” he said, deliberately. “You were very kind to me before the war. Before the war I scratched my hand among your rose-bushes, and you—you kissed the place and made it well! You may forget that generous action—”

“Oh, no!” she interrupted, laughingly. “I remember it! I would do it again!

He straightened himself in his chair with an abrupt movement.

“You would? You would do it again?”

“Of course I would! Why shouldn’t I? Especially if you were frightened, and thought you were going to be blood-poisoned!”

He regarded her with a smile.

“I was not frightened!” he said. “I did not think I was going to be blood-poisoned! I’m not such a fool! I only wanted you to be—to be—”

Her eyes sparkled a trifle mischievously.

“To be—to be—what?” she asked.

“Kind to me!”