Part 5 (2/2)
”I swear it!” he said with mock solemnity. ”You shall have carte blanche in any Fifth Avenue shop to the amount of--$1.75.”
”Will you be ready in time?” she laughed, looking around with dismay at the litter of open trunks.
”I won't, if you stay here chattering like a magpie.”
”What time does the steamer sail?”
”Eleven o'clock,” said Helen.
”We're all coming to see you off. Mr. Steell told me that he's coming, too.”
”Not exactly to see me, I'm afraid,” smiled Kenneth.
”Who else?” she retorted. ”If you mean me, you're mistaken. He doesn't need to make the uncomfortable trip to Hoboken to see me.”
Her brother-in-law smiled, amused at her petulance.
”My dear,” he said, ”you don't know what hards.h.i.+ps a man will endure for the girl he's sweet on.” With mock seriousness he went on: ”Say sis, Helen and I have been having an argument. Who does Steell come here for--for you or for me?”
Ray burst into merry laughter.
”How silly you are, Ken. For me, of course. At least, I flatter myself that----” With a wink at her sister she added facetiously: ”Of course, one never knows when dealing with these handsome men. And Helen is quite adorable. If I were a man, I should be crazy about her.”
Helen held up a protesting finger.
”Don't talk like that, dear, or he'll believe you.”
Kenneth laughed.
”Yes, I'm as jealous as Oth.e.l.lo and quite as dangerous. Don't I look it?”
As he spoke, the front door-bell rang downstairs. Ray hastily took up her things.
”Here's company!”
”I hope not!” exclaimed Helen. ”I'm in no mood to see anybody.”
”I'll see them,” whispered Ray, ”and say you're out. It won't be the first fib I've told.”
She ran lightly out of the room and upstairs, while Helen and her husband went on with the work of packing. They were just stooping together over a trunk when there came a rap on the door, and Francois appeared.
”A lady to see monsieur.”
Kenneth looked puzzled.
”A lady? What lady?”
Helen laughed merrily. Triumphantly, she exclaimed:
”It's my turn now to be jealous.”
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