Page:Maud Howe - A Newport Aquarelle.djvu/93

 "Prevarication. Pure prevarication this, Mr. Saltonstall. It is quite useless to pursue it with me. Remember that I have known you a very long time, and though our acquaintance has been a superficial one, still it has given me some chances to judge of your character. Dissimulation is not a natural weakness of yours. You have, no doubt, quite enough sins without cultivating that one. Take my advice and remain the living curiosity that you are, the one man who is not a liar. Now tell me why a cloud came into your eyes suddenly, and you shrouded the thoughts in which I was becoming so deeply interested. Frankly now—tell me."

"If you will have the truth, Miss Carleton, I have a particular and possibly unreasonable objection to submitting myself to the process known among ladies as 'drawing a man out.' I distinctly dislike to be made to ride my hobby around a lady's drawing-room, or even around her yacht."