"I am going to
call upon your cousin."
"The deuce you are! I thought so," Neil answered, in a tone of voice
indicative of anything but pleasure.
"Have you any objections?" Jack asked, and Neil replied:
"No--yes. Jack. You are as good--yes, better than most of the fellows in
our set, but--" He hesitated, and Jack rejoined:
"But what? Go on."
"By Jove, I will speak out!" Neil continued, going close to his cousin.
"You are a man of the world, accustomed to all sorts of girls--girls who
laugh and flirt and let you make soft speeches to them and never think
of you again because they know you mean nothing. But Bessie is not that
kind; she is innocent and pure as a baby, and believes all you say,
and--and--by George, Jack, if you harm a hair of her head I'll beat you
into a pomace! You understand?"
"Yes, I rather think I do," Jack answered, with a smile; "and, Neil, you
are more of a man than I supposed; upon my soul you are; but never fear,
I will not flirt with Bessie, I will not make love to her, unless--I
fall in love myself, in which case I cannot promise; but don't distress
yourself.
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