at
once, mustn't I?"

"Ah, he wants to be sure of you, for you are such a slippery creature
he is afraid you'll treat him as you did poor Jackson and the rest,"
interrupted Rose, shaking her finger at her prospective cousin, who had
tried this pastime twice before and was rather proud than otherwise of
her brief engagements.

"You needn't scold, for I know I'm right, and when you've been in
society as long as I have you'll find that the only way to really know a
man is to be engaged to him. While they want you they are all devotion,
but when they think they've got you, then you find out what wretches
they are," answered Kitty with an air of worldly wisdom which contrasted
oddly with her youthful face and giddy manners.

"A sad prospect for poor Steve, unless I give him a hint to look well to
his ways."

"Oh, my dear child, I'm sure of him, for my experience has made me very
sharp and I'm convinced I can manage him without a bit of trouble. We've
known each other for ages" Steve was twenty and Kitty eighteen "and
always been the best of friends. Besides, he is quite my ideal man. I
never could bear big hands and feet, and his are simply adorable. Then
he's the best dancer I know and dresses in perfect taste. I really do
believe I fell in love with his pocket handkerchiefs first, they were so
enchanting I couldn't resist," laughed Kitty, pulling a large one out
of her pocket and burying her little nose in the folds, which shed a
delicious fragrance upon the air.

"Now, that looks promising, and I begin to think you have got a little
sentiment after all," said Rose, well pleased, for the merry brown eyes
had softened suddenly and a quick color came up in Kitty's cheek as she
answered, still half hiding her face in the beloved handkerchief: "Of
course I have, lots of it, only I'm ashamed to show it to most people,
because it's the style to take everything in the most nonchalant way. My
gracious, Rose, you'd have thought me a romantic goose last night while
Steve proposed in the back parlor, for I actually cried, he was so
dreadfully in earnest when I pretended that I didn't care for him, and
so very dear and nice when I told the truth. I didn't know he had it in
him, but he came out delightfully and never cared a particle, though I
dropped tears all over his lovely shirtfront. Wasn't that good of him?
For you know he hates his things to be mussed."

"He's a true Campbell, and has got a good warm heart of his own und