Part 10 (1/2)
”Not that you've got millions--_millions_!”
”If my millions are as impalpable as my broomstick they won't hurt me much,” he laughed. And then soberly: ”Say, Una, you seem to know a lot more about me than I know about myself.”
”I think I do,” she returned. ”For instance, of course, you couldn't guess that half the match-making mammas of the county are already setting their caps for you.”
He looked bewildered at that, I'm sure.
”Do you know,” he said, ”that I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about.”
”Of course,” she laughed. ”I forgot. They want to marry you to their daughters.”
”Marry! Me! You're joking.”
I think he must have seemed really alarmed.
”I'm not. The fat, the small, the lean and the tall. They're all after you. The moment you poke your nose outside the gate next year, they're all going to pounce on you and try to carry you off.”
”But I can't marry them all,” he said aghast. ”Besides I don't want to marry anybody. And I'm not going to.”
She couldn't restrain herself now and burst into wild peals of merriment, while Jerry watched her, uncertain whether to be angry or amused. At last he decided to smile.
”You seem to have a lot of fun with me, Una, don't you?”
”I don't mean to. But the picture of you trying to escape the engulfing flood of mammas is too much. I've got to laugh, Jerry. I can't help it.”
”Laugh, then. I don't think it's so funny, though.”
”But it is. Because I'm sure you'd be too polite to refuse them--any of them.”
”Polite! I won't be polite. Just because I'm nice to you isn't any sign. I--I'll send 'em all packing. You'll see.”
”Oh, you're brave enough now, but wait--wait!” She bent over, clasping her knees, still shaking with merriment.
”Why, Jerry, you couldn't be impolite to a woman any more than you could _fly_. You'd do just whatever she said.”
”I wouldn't. They're idiots, the lot of 'em. What's the use? What do girls want to get married for, anyway?”
She glanced up at him quickly. Then at the glimpse she had of Jerry's sober profile her wide gaze dulled and then sought the earth before her. It was true then what she believed of him. A child--this gorgeous creature that shaved its face!
”I suppose it's because they--they haven't anything else to do,” she stammered.
”There's plenty for every woman to do without marrying, or there ought to be. They can work like men, or clean their houses, or raise their children.”
At this point the girl was seized with a sudden fit of coughing and her face was purple.
”What's the matter?”
”I--I just swallowed the wrong way,” she gasped.
”Here, I'll pat you on the back. All right now?”