natural delicacy--her natural shrinking--her dignity--Why, what must
Owen think of you! Can't you SEE what a dreadful thing you've done,
dear!" Her mind, working desperately for an escape from the
unbearable situation, seized upon a possible explanation. "My
darling," she said, "you must try at once to convince him that you
were only joking--you can say half-laughingly--"

"But wait!" Alexandra interrupted, unruffled. "He put his hand over
mine, and he turned as red as a beet--I wish you could have seen his
face, Mother!--and he said--But," and the happy color flooded her
face, "I honestly can't tell you what he said, Mother," Alexandra
confessed. "Only it was DARLING, and he is honestly the best man I
ever saw in my life!"

"But, dearest, dearest," her mother said, with desperate appeal.
"Don't you see that you can't possibly allow things to remain this
way? Your dignity, dear, the most precious thing a girl has, you've
simply thrown it to the winds! Do you want Owen to remind you some
day that YOU were the one to speak first?" Her voice sank
distressfully, a shamed red burned in her cheeks. "Do you want Owen
to be able to say that you cared, and admitted that you cared,
before he did?"

Alexandra, staring blankly at her mother, now burst into a gay
laugh.

"Oh, Mother, aren't you DARLING--but you're so funny!" she said.
"Don't you suppose I know Owen well enough to know whether he cares
for me or not? He doesn't know it himself, that's the whole point,
or rather he DIDN'T, for he does now! And he'll go on caring more