exed!" pleaded Tots. "I suppose you know by experience how
these things are managed, but I don't. You see, it's my first attempt."

Unwillingly, as it were in spite of itself, the contemptuous curve
became a very small smile. The girl's dark eyes dwelt for several
seconds upon that portion of her suitor's countenance that was visible
under the linen hat. There was a wonderful serenity about the mouth and
chin she studied. They did not look in the least as if their owner were
taking either himself or her seriously. Her own lips tightened a little,
and a sudden gleam shot up behind her black lashes--a gleam that had in
it an elusive glint of malice. She suffered her eyes to pass beyond him
and to rest upon a distant line of firs. The man stretched out beside
her remained motionless.

"Why," she said at last, with slight hesitation, "should you take it for
granted that I should refuse you?"

"Eh?" said Tots. He stirred languidly, and removed the hat from his
face, but he still maintained his easy attitude. He had heavy-lidded
eyes, upon the colour of which most people disagreed--eyes that never
appeared critical, and yet were somehow not wholly in keeping with the
kindly, half-whimsical mouth. "I'm not takin' it for granted," he said.
"I only think it likely. You see, all I have to go upon is this: Every
one hereabouts is gettin' married or engaged, except you and me. That,
of course, is all right for them, but it isn't precisely excitin' for
us. I thought it might be more fun for both of us if we did the same. At
least, I thought I'd find out your opinion about it, and act
accordin'ly. If we don't see alike about it, of course, there's no more
to be said. We'll just go on as we were before, and hope that somethin'
else nice will turn up soon."

"To relieve our mutual boredom!" The girl's laugh sounded rather hard.
"Don't you think," she asked, after a moment, "that we should bore each
other even worse if we got engaged?"

"Oh, I don't know!" Tots laughed too--an easy, tolerant laugh. "Could
but try, eh?" he suggested. "I'm tired of this everlastin' lookin' on."

"So am I--horribly tired." The girl rose suddenly, with a movement
curiously vehement.

"But I shouldn't have thought you'd care," she said, with a touch of
bitterness. "I should have thought a bovine existence suited you."

Tots sat up deliberately and put on his hat. His manner betrayed no
resentment.

"Really?" he said, with his pleasant smile. "You s