Page:Caroline Lockhart--The full of the Moon.djvu/29

 "You could practice law. What was the use of studying it if you don't practice?"

"To protect myself from other lawyers. Yes," with mock gravity, "I could join the noble army of ambulance chasers."

"Nonsense! You don't have to be an ambulance chaser. You could be at the top if only you were in earnest."

"Thank you, Nan, for those few kind words," he bowed in exaggerated appreciation, "but I'm afraid the only thing in which I am in deadly earnest is my desire to induce you to marry me or to let me marry you—as you like—I'm very humble. Last summer, as you know, I went to Newfoundland and spent three wretched weeks camping on the Humber River, fighting mosquitoes and waiting for the mail to bring me a letter from you, and trying to forget you; but just as soon as the mosquitoes let up a minute I was loving you harder than ever. Most humiliating experience of my life, I assure you, for it convinced me that I have no will-power. In the end I gave in and went down to the Jersey coast where the mosquitoes at least fight according to the rules of civilized warfare, and gave