look at such a heavy dinner, because you certainly didn't do more than look at it—on such a night! But the crime draws to a close, and you can begin to cheer up!" She laughed gaily, and, rising, moved to the door. "Let's go in the other room; your fearful duty is almost done, and you can run home as soon as you want to. That's what you're dying to do."
"Not at all," he said in a voice so feeble that she laughed aloud.
"Good gracious!" she cried. "I hadn't realized it was that bad!"
For this, though he contrived to laugh, he seemed to have no verbal retort whatever; but followed her into the "living-room," where she stopped and turned, facing him.
"Has it really been so frightful?" she asked.
"Why, of course not. Not at all."
"Of course yes, though, you mean!"
"Not at all. It's been most kind of your mother and father and you."
"Do you know," she said, "you've never once looked at me for more than a second at a time the whole evening? And it seemed to me I looked rather nice to-night, too!"
"You always do," he murmured.
