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Rh some charms." You see, Agnes will be the only girl [she gives a little jump]—I tell you, Benedict, there is something behind those curtains.

[striding over to them and drawing one aside]. You are nervous, Cecily; there is nothing there.

And of course you must have young Legree and Everett Evans. They are both splendid catches for any girl. And one will act as a foil to the other. I will insist that Agnes shall go around the house with her mouth full of water.

With her mouth full of water!

Certainly, you dear goose. And we will send Charley Legree or Everett out of another door with their mouths full of water. Each will, of course, be unconscious of the other's presence. Then they must proceed around the house without speaking a word or swallowing one drop of water, and should they meet, that will precipitate matters.

Yes, ahem, I should think so, about as much as a waterspout might, but I don't quite see how that leads up to matrimony.

Oh, Benedict, you are really too stupid. If you had met me coming around the side of a house with my cheeks like this [swells cheeks out], and my mouth full of water three years ago, what would you have done?

Why, my dear, I surely think I should have run away.

Absurd. You would have done nothing of the kind; you undoubtedly would have kissed me.

Never! At least not until you had swallowed every drop of that water. [The portières arc pushed aside and a very pretty young lady enters the room and looks amusedly from one to the other.]

Well, you two conspirators, what dark and mysterious deed are you plotting now?

[after an embarrassing silence, with one accord]. We were talking over some business matters.