“You fancy I refused point blank, without waiting to tell you about it?”
For the third time the girl’s fingers crossed and interlocked. That was all.
“Elice!” The man moved over to her, paused so, looking down into her face. “Tell me, I’m dead in earnest. Don’t you trust me?”
“I trust you absolutely, Steve; but that doesn’t prevent my knowing you.”
“And I tell you I took the matter under advisement.”
“He persuaded you to. You refused at first even to consider it.” 49
Smilingly she returned his injured look fair in the eyes. Still smiling, she watched him as in silence he recrossed slowly to his place.
“Yes, you’re right—as usual,” he admitted at last. “You do know me. Apparently all my friends know me, better than I know myself.” He shrugged characteristically. “But you haven’t answered my question yet. What do you think of my accepting?”
“I try never to think—about the useless. You won’t accept.”
“You may be mistaken, may compel me to against my best judgment.”