Page:Love and Learn (1924).pdf/175

 and tore off another one of William's marvelous dinners, with some wine that was positively heavenly. I indulged very sparingly in the beverage. But William tied into that wine as if he's just staggered in from a week on the desert, and after either the third or the fifteenth bottle he got what I have often heard described as "mellow." He moved over beside me and captured my hand. I told him to be himself and drew it away, when to my great indignation he tried to kiss me. Boys will be boys!

When I repulsed William, he got more indignant than me. He said he couldn't understand why I should object to a mere innocent kiss, especially as Hazel hadn't! That last boast made me sit up and I regarded him with blazing eyes.

"You have kissed Hazel?"

"Dozens of times!" says William airily, and pours himself another Pol Roger.

Well, honestly, I was simply furious and I just sat there and glared at him. It wasn't jealousy of Hazel that got me red-headed, as William failed to panic me, but to me the most contemptible thing in the wide wide world is the Lothario who kisses and tells! I jumped up and ordered a rather frightened William to take me back to the hotel at once. All the way home he did aothing but beg me not to tell Hazel he had wanted to kiss me, but I gave him no satisfaction. Outwardly