"Mr. Forbes is a soldier," Persis explained.
"Oh, thank you, twice as much!" said Alice, "for appreciating the situation." Then she turned to Persis, and clenched her arm as if she were about to implore some unheard-of mercy: "And, Oh, Miss Cabot, will you do me one terribly great favor? I'll remember it to my dying day, if you only will."
"Of course, my dear," Persis answered, with her usual serenity. "What is it? Do you want me to tell your mother that I met you somewhere and dragged you here against your will to meet her?"
Alice's wide eyes widened to the danger-point:
"Aren't you simply wonderful! How on earth could you possibly have ever ever guessed it?"
Persis cast a sidelong glance at Forbes; it had all the effect of a wink without being so violent.
"I'm a mind-reader," she said.
Alice caught the glance but not the irony of it, and exclaimed:
"Indeed she is, Mr. Forbes. She really is."
"I know she is," said Forbes, with a quiet conviction that was almost more noisy than the violent emphasis of Alice.