"Oh, all right. Come on back, Barry. . . . I'm asking Ri-Ri to marry me—and we'll announce the engagement any time she says. . . . There. . . . Now I've got that off my chest."
"Thank you," said Maria Angelina. She looked neither at the embarrassed Johnny nor the astounded Barry. "I will think about it and I will let you know, Signor Byrd. Now please go."
"Well, of all the——" said Johnny blankly.
Then he looked at her. She was staring before her at something that she alone could see. Her look was rather extraordinary. It occurred to Johnny that after all she had a right to tantalize—and this was really no moment for capitulation.
To-night, now, after dinner, when every one was fed and warm and comfy. . . .
Still she might give a fellow a decent look. Hang it, he wasn't a drygoods clerk offering himself!
"Come on, let her alone now," cut in Barry with a certain savage energy that woke wonder in Johnny before it had time to wake resentment.
"We must be off," Barry went on. "Come on, the first part of our way lies together and we'd better hurry or some searching party will find us. Remember, you've only been here an hour," he called back to Maria Angelina. He did not look at her, but added, in that same offhand way, "Better go in and get some sleep and I'll telephone the Lodge from Peter's and have a motor and a horse sent after you."
"I'll come with the motor all right," Johnny promised.
"Don't worry," called back Barry, and waved his hand with an air of gayety but there was no laughter on his face as he started off over the hill with Johnny Byrd.