"To pay you marked attention."
"M-m-marked what?"
"Attention. Two or three girls will begin to court you."
"How?"
"Oh, the usual way—by sending you flowers and books and bon-bons, and asking permission to call on you in your cave," she said carelessly.
There was an embarrassed pause, then:
"Will you be one of those—those aspirants to my hand?" he inquired.
She said indifferently: "I hope not. I'm sure I don't desire to be the mother of——"
"Stop! I tell you to stop conversing on such topics!" he yelled, struggling and squirming and finally rolling over, all fours in the air.