"How dare you kiss me, sir?"
"I couldn't help that either," stammered Dick, covered with confusion and blushing like a school-boy.
"Insolence!" cried Bessie with increased vehemence, stamping her small foot furiously on the ground.
"Miss Van Ashton," stammered Dick again, "I apologize! I—I beg your pardon—"
"For taking advantage of a helpless woman while in an unconscious state!" she interrupted. "A most gentlemanly act!" she added contemptuously. Her words cut him like the lash of a whip, causing him to wince, his face turning a deep red.
"I'm sorry—" he began.
"You know you're not sorry at all!" she broke in again with unabated fury.
"Miss Van Ashton," he said again, with increasing embarrassment, "when you fell into my arms I was so surprised and frightened—"
"Frightened?" She laughed in his face. "A man who single handed held a furious crowd of men at bay as you did—frightened? You mean that you were so overcome with weakness and the joy at finding a helpless woman in your power you could think of nothing better to do than to kiss her," she answered with all the sarcasm she could command.
A twinkle came into Dick's dark eyes as he regarded her for some time in silence.