"Herbert, I--I want to tell you something."
"What is it? By the sound of you it must be something very tremendous."
Her manner certainly was strange. As a rule she was a most self-possessed young woman; now she seemed to be able to do nothing but shiver and stammer. Not only was she hardly audible, but her words came from her one by one, as if she found it difficult to speak at all.
"What I--said to you--yesterday--wasn't true; I--said it to try you."
"What did you say to try me? Elaine, you're what I never thought you would be--you're mysterious."
"Suppose--you had fifteen hundred pounds--are you sure Mr. Dawson would make you a partner?"
"Well, I've never asked him, but I'm betting twopence."
"What would your income be if he did? You're not to laugh--answer my questions."
"Oh, I'll answer them; although, as I've already remarked, I've not the faintest notion what you're driving at; and that particular question is rather a wide one. If I were to buy a share I should try to do it on the understanding that some day I was to have the lot. I should probably commence with an income of between three and four hundred, which would become more later on; I dare say old Dawson is making a good thousand a year."
"A thousand? We might live on that."