He gave her his hand, and she tripped daintily down to the bench, where they sat down together.
"You don't really believe I was such a ruffian as I pretended to be?" said Archie at last.
"Why, yes; aren't you?" she asked simply, glancing sideways at him with her most winning smile.
"You surely didn't actually think I was going to throw you over the cliff?"
"Oh, I have often heard or read of it being done. Were you only pretending?"
"That's all. It was really a little matter of revenge. I thought you ought to be punished for the way you had used those other fellows. And Sanderson was such a good hand at billiards. I could just beat him."
"You—you said—you cared for me. Was that pretence too?" asked Bessie, with a catch in her voice.
"No. That was all true, Bessie, and there is where my scheme of vengeance goes lame. You see, my dear girl, I never thought you would look at me; some of the other fellows are ever so much better than I am, and of course I did not imagine I had any chance. I hope you will forgive me, and that you won't insist on having a real revenge by withdrawing what you have said."
"I shall have revenge enough on you, Archie, you poor, deluded young man, all your life. But never say anything about 'the other fellows,' as you call them. There never was any other fellow but you. Perhaps I will show you a little book some day that will explain everything, although I am afraid, if you saw it, you might think worse of me than ever. I think, perhaps, it is my duty to show it to you before it is too late to draw back. Shall I?"
"I absolutely refuse to look at it—now or any other time," said Archie magnanimously, drawing her towards him and kissing her.