Page:A M Williamson - The Motor Maid.djvu/143

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THE MOTOR MAID
127

"Your foot! You 've put your brains into it. You said the other night that I had presence of mind. It was nothing to yours."

"All 's forgotten and forgiven, then?"

"It 's forgotten that there was anything to forgive."

"And the 'motor maid' business? You didn't think it too clumsy?"

"I thought it most ingenious."

"It was n't a lie, you know. I have n't a happy talent for lying. I do, or rather did when I had nothing else on hand, send occasional sketches to a paper. But the more I look at my 'motor maid,' the more I feel I should like to keep her—in my sketch-book—if you 're willing I should have her?"

"Then I don't get my promised five shillings?" I laughed.

"I 'll try and make up the loss to you in some other way."

"I have you to thank that I did n't lose my situation. So the debt is on my side."

"You owe me the scolding you got. I ought n't to have lured you into the corridor."

"It was on my business. And there was no other way."

"It was my business to have thought of some other way."

"Are you your sister's keeper?"

"I wish I Look here, mademoiselle ma sœur, I 'm all out of repartees. Perhaps I shall be better after breakfast. I shall be able to eat, now that I know you 've forgiven me."

"I don't believe you would care if I had n't," I