"Nobody's courting me."
"He comes here often enough, anyhow! What does he come for?"
Jim looked up, frowning slightly.
"Steeves, Flora is Mark Ducat's sister, and Mark is my friend and partner," he said. "You wouldn't bawl your ill-mannered questions at her if Mark were here, so don't do it now."
"Maybe I would an' maybe I wouldn't, but you ain't Mark Ducat," retorted the other. "Mark could eat three like you an' I could eat two! If you don't believe me, come along outside!"
"But Mark couldn't," said Flora.
Jim smiled at her and shook his head very slightly. Then he stood up and said quietly, "If I do, Steeves, I'll have to carry you in again and put you to bed, and that will be an inconvenience to both of us and to Mrs. Ducat."
"Talk don't scare me," sneered Homer.
"He can have Mark's bed," said Flora reflectively.
Mr. Steeves eyed her questioningly, uncertainly.