Page:The Reverberator (2nd edition, American issue, London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1888).djvu/106

96 . Gaston thought at first that he missed a dish from the board, but he recognised the next moment the old man's usual designation of his daughters. These young ladies presently came in, but Francie looked away from Mr. Probert. The suggestion just dropped by her father had given him a shock (the idea of the girl's "favouring" the newspaper-man was inconceivable), but the charming way she avoided his eye convinced him that he had nothing to fear from Mr. Flack.

That night (it had been an exciting day), Delia remarked to her sister that of course she could draw back: upon which Francie repeated the expression, interrogatively, not understanding it. "You can send him a note, saying you won't," Delia explained.

"Won't marry him?"

"Gracious, no! Won't go to see his sister. You can tell him it's her place to come to see you first."

"Oh, I don't care," said Francie, wearily.

Delia looked at her a moment very gravely. "Is that the way you answered him when he asked you?"

"I'm sure I don't know. He could tell you best."

"If you were to speak to me that way I should have said, 'Oh, well, if you don't want it any more than that!'"

"Well, I wish it was you," said Francie.