Page:Jean Webster--Much ado about Peter.djvu/258

250 "Pete," she began, and there was a little catch in her voice which went to Peter's heart; in his effort to resist it and mete out due punishment for all the misery she had caused him, he was harder than he otherwise would have been. "Pete, I wanted to be tellin' ye that it was n't my fault. He—he niver kissed me before, and I did n't know he was goin' to then."

Peter shrugged.

"Ye need n't be apologizin' to me. I ain't interested in yer amoors. If ye wants to be apologizin' to any one go an' do it to his wife."

"His wife?" asked Annie.

"Aye, his wife an' his three childern."

"I did n't know he was married," said Annie, flushing again, "but 'tis no difference, for it were n't my fault. I niver acted a bit nicer to him than to anny other man, an' that's the truth."

"Oh, ye 're a lovely girl, ye are! Flirtin'