that new baffling smile
he found so alluring.

"But do you know, Katie, I think, for a long time, anyway, we could keep
busy flirting with each other."

"And we would keep all the busier," she said, "knowing that the minute
we stopped flirting with each other one of us would get busy flirting
with somebody else."

He laughed delightedly. "Katie, where did you learn it was very fetching
to say outrageous things so demurely?"

"Tell me," said Katie, more seriously, "why do you want to marry?"

"Until about an hour ago I wanted to marry--oh for the most bromidic of
reasons. Just because, in the natural course of events, it seemed the
next thing for me to do. I'll even be quite frank and confess I had
thought of you in that bromidic version of it. Had thought of it as
'eminently suitable'--also, eminently desirable. We'd like to do the same
things. We'd get on--be good fellows together. But now I want to
marry--and I want to marry _you_--because I think you're quite the most
fascinating thing in all the world!"

Lightly and yet seriously he spoke of things--of his own prospects. She
knew how good they were. Of where and how they would probably live;--a
pleasant picture it was he could draw. It would mean life along the
sunny paths. And very sunny indeed it seemed they would be--if possible
at all. Certainly one would never have to explain any of one's jokes to
Major Darrett.

For just a moment she let herself drift into it. And knowing she was
drifting, and not knowing it was for just the moment, he rose and bent
over her chair.

"Katie," he whispered, and there was passion in his voice, "I think I
can make you fall in love with me."

The little imp in Katie took possession. And something deeper than the
little imp stirred vaguely at sound of that thing in his voice. She
raised her face so that it was turned up to him. "You think you could?
Now I wonder."

"Oh you wonder, do you--you exasperating little wretch! Well just give me
a chance--"

But suddenly he was standing at attention, his face colorless. Katie
jumped up guiltily, and there leaning against the door--all huddled down
and terrible looking--was Ann.

"Why, Katie," she whispered thickly--"_Katie_! But you told me--you
_promised_ me--that you would _shut the door in his face_."

CHAPTER XXIV

It took her a number of seconds to get the fact that they must know
each other.

And even then she could get no grip on the situation. She was to