"It will be safer. You don't have to be too open about it. You can arrest the people the gang doesn't care anything about."
"That would be hard on the people, I should say."
"It's better than running into danger all the time. I tell you, Billy, as true as I stand here this minute, if you try to fight the gang, you won't last out your term."
She clasped her hands and regarded him piteously. When a pretty girl clasps her hands and regards you piteously, what are you going to do? Right. You can't help yourself, can you? Neither could Billy.
But when he had kissed her three times on the mouth she pushed him away and cried distractedly. "You mustn't! You mustn't! You don't know what you're doing!"
"Oh, yes, I do," he assured her and seized her buttery hands. "We'll be married to-morrow!"
At which she whipped her hands from his grasp and put the table between them. "No! Go over there and sit down!"
"I won't! I love you! And you love me!"
"I don't," she stormed.
"What did you kiss me back for then?" he demanded triumphantly. "You did! You know you did! I felt you!"