"Upon my word," said Miss Desmond, "you are the coldest lover I've
ever set eyes on."

"I'm not a lover," he answered swiftly. "Do you wish I were?"

"For Betty's sake, I'm glad you aren't. But I think I should respect
you more if you weren't quite so arctic."

"I'm not an incendiary, at any rate," said he, "and that's something,
with my coloured eyes, isn't it?"

"Well," she said, "whatever your temperature is, I rather like you. I
don't wonder at Betty in the least."

Vernon bowed.

"All I ask is your promise that you'll not speak to her again."

"I can't promise that, you know. I can't be rude to her. But I'll
promise not to go out of my way to meet her again." He sighed.

"As, yes--it is sad--all that time wasted and no rabbits caught."
Again Miss Desmond had gone unpleasantly near his thought. Of course
he said:

"You don't understand me."

"Near enough," said Miss Desmond; "and now I'll go."