"Who do you think?" said Jack.
"But--but what shall I do with them?"
"Put them on. Any woman can wear violets without hurting."
"But what will they think when I get back to the office."
"The worst!" said Jack solemnly.
"Oh, Mr. Norman!"
"Why go back to the office?" asked Jack very offhand.
"Oh, Mr. Norman!" she said again, with a scandalized air.
"My name is Jack," he said unabashed.
She made believe not to hear.
"I can't bear to think of you working even for a day longer in that
stuffy hole! Why, my first thought when I heard the news was I can
take her out of that! What fun will it be for me to fluff around town
spending money when you are still jailed there, punishing the alphabet."
"What do you mean?" she said, trying to look indignant.
"You know what I mean. Or if you don't, look at me and you'll see!"
She did not avail herself of the invitation. "You don't seem to have
thought much of me. What _I_ might like. Am I nothing to you, but a
sort of little follower, a hanger-on to help you spend money!"
"Oh, Katy, that's unjust. Look at me! Katy darling, I love you. Will
you marry me?"
"Somebody will hear you," she murmured glancing nervously around.
"That's no answer."
"Why--I scarcely know you!"
"Time will fix that."
"You're not in earnest."
"I am! Look at me! I know you well! For months I have thought of you
night and day. Oh, I tried to cut you out at first; I thought I was
only storing up trouble for myself. Poor devil of a stool-warmer like
me. What chance did I have? But I couldn't help myself! Every time I
saw your face at the window I forgot my hard-headed resolutions. You
see you had me at a disadvantage. I had an ideal of what a lady was,
that I got from my mother--but knocking round in cheap boarding houses,
well you don't meet that kind. It was just plumb luck my meeting you.
First time I heard your voice you just knocked me out. That was what I
had wanted--all my life. Look at me! Don't you think I'm in earnest
now?"
"_Please_, not here!" she murmured.
He suddenly realized that a girl _is_ entitled to a certain degree of
privacy in receiving a proposal. "Oh! I clean forgot where we were!"
he said contritely. "I'm sorry. The two things are so mixed up in my
mind, I felt I couldn't tell you quick enough."
A silence fell between them. He studied her face wistfully, but could
read nothing in the closed lips and downcast eyes.
"Katy, dear, can't you give me one word to go on?"
She shook her head.
"Nothing definite, Katy--but just a hint I can't stand the suspense."