"Then why did you try to poison his mind against me?"
Jack thought: "Oh, Bobo! Bobo! I'm glad I didn't tell you all." To
her he said with seeming astonishment: "I! Poison his mind against
you! What an idea!"
"Well, try to dissuade him from--er--paying me attention."
"My dear Miriam, put yourself in my place for a moment. I am Bobo's
friend. I do feel the responsibility of looking after him, just as you
say. He meets a lovely girl of whom we know nothing, a girl lovely
enough to believe the worst of--and he falls head over heels in love.
Was it not my plain duty to beg him to go slow, to think what he was
doing?"
"What do you mean, believe the worst of?"
"Just a figure of speech. You are really remarkably beautiful. It
isn't reasonable to suppose that you have reached your present age
without having had--well, exciting things happen to you."
She shrugged. "I wish I had had." She was unable to keep a sharp note
out of her voice. "You told him that I--wasn't all that I ought to be."
"I had to say something to make him pull up long enough to give me time
to find out."
"Then you haven't got anything against me?"
Jack's eyes were as limpid as a mountain stream. If one is going to
lie, one may as well do it artistically. "Nothing in the world,
Miriam!"
She leaned across the table and gave his hand a little squeeze. "I'm
so glad we've had this talk," she murmured.
They beamed on each other in seeming friendly fashion--but there were
hard points of light in each pair of eyes.
"Pleasant little comedy," thought Jack. "I'm willing to keep it up as
long as she is."
"We must often consult together, and decide what is best for Bobo," she
went on sweetly. "And if he won't do things that you think he ought,
I'll add my influence. And then I'll get you to help me with him when
I need you."
"Fine!" said Jack. "Poor Bobo!" he silently added.
As was usual with this young lady, her romantic and sentimental scenes
generally led up to a very practical climax.
"Has Bobo given you power of attorney?" she asked.
"No."
"Why is it he won't draw even the smallest of checks unless you are
there?"
"Oh, that was one of the things we agreed on when I took the job of
secretary. He wanted to be saved from throwing it about."
"Very wise," said Miriam. "But now that he has another disinterested
friend the situation is altered, isn't it? If I am with him it will be
sufficient. I shall tell him that you release him from that part of
your agreement." This was said with a charming smile, as a sort of
experimental joke.