"In a very harmless, innocent sort of way."
"She got his mission out of him?"
"Yes, I've forced him to score all the points he could, and that
was his great stroke, as I hoped it would be. He has even shown
Amy the pearl."
"Amy, eh! and she promptly told you?"
"Nothing of the kind. What makes you think so? I had the
greatest trouble in getting it out of her."
His tone should have been a sufficient warning to me. I had not
the tact to take it as such. At last I knew the meaning of his
furious flirtation, and stood wagging my head and shaking my
finger, blinded to his frowns by my own enlightenment.
"Wily worm!" said I. "Now I see through it all; how dense I've
been!"
"Sure you're not still?"
"No; now I understand what has beaten me all the week. I simply
couldn't fathom what you saw in that little girl. I never dreamt
it was part of the game."
"So you think it was that and nothing more?"
"You deep old dog--of course I do!"
"You didn't know she was the daughter of a wealthy squatter?"
"There are wealthy women by the dozen who would marry you
to-morrow."
"It doesn't occur to you that I might like to draw stumps, start
clean, and live happily ever after--in the bush?"
"With that voice? It certainly does not!"
"Bunny!" he cried, so fiercely that I braced myself for a blow.
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