Page:Frank Spearman--Whispering Smith.djvu/351

 “What do you mean?” asked Marion Sinclair.

He nodded toward the porch. “McCloud and Dicksie out there. They have been fixing things up.”

“Nonsense! What do you mean?”

“I mean they are engaged.”

“Never in the world!”

“I may be slow in reading a trail,” said Smith modestly, “but when a woman laughs like that I think there’s something doing. Don’t you believe it? Call them in and ask them. You won’t? Well, I will. Take them in separate rooms. You ask her and I’ll ask him.”

In spite of Marion’s protests the two were brought in. “I am required by Mr. Smith to ask you a very silly question, Dicksie,” said Marion, taking her into the living-room. “Answer yes or no. Are you engaged to anybody?”

“What a question! Why, no!”

“Marion Sinclair wants to know just one thing, George,” said Whispering Smith to McCloud after he had taken him into the dark shop. “She feels she ought to know because she is in a way Dicksie’s chaperone, you know, and she feels that you are willing she should know. I don’t want to be too serious, but answer yes or no. Are you engaged to Dicksie?”

“Why, yes. I” 325