"Now, Bill Bowers, just what do you mean?" she demanded, her black eyes flashing angrily.
"What's the use?" said Bill, in disgust. "Rosy says that she's going to Kansas this fall, and I just will have to let her go because I can't ask her to stay."
"Pity about you," she snapped. "Thought you said Jap couldn't ask."
"I did," assented Bill, "for if he had gumption enough to get married, or even go courting, I might get by. But as long as he sticks alone I'm going to stick, too."
Isabel's face flamed. She stooped to pick up a hit of paper.
"What do you want to tell me about it for?" she complained. "My goodness, I'm not to blame."
"You are," stormed Bill. "Jap knows that he is not your equal, and he never will marry."
"Who said that Jap Herron was not more than the equal of any man on earth?" she blazed. "If Jap will ask me, I'll marry him to-morrow."
She whirled away in her wrath, and ran into the arms of Jap Herron, standing half paralyzed with the wonder of it. Bill, who had been watching the unconscious Jap approaching for several minutes, discreetly withdrew.
"Gee!" he said, "but they ought not to be kissing in such a public place."