"I'm lucky to have such a champion. Has your father given over the hope of marrying you off to some rich man?"
"I don't know about that. He hasn't mentioned it of late. I think his ill luck has discouraged him."
"Two years after this will take me through college, and then----"
His hand found hers once more, and the look that he gave her she could not misunderstand. Her eyes drooped, and the warm color surged into her cheeks.
To Frank it seemed that Inza grew more handsome each time he saw her. Certainly she was destined to become a strikingly attractive woman.
After a little their conversation drifted onto the subject of college sports, and Inza suddenly said: "I am so glad you are not playing football this season, Frank."
"Glad?" questioned Frank, surprised. "Why?"
This was unlike Inza. She had ever taken a great interest in manly sports and games, and, in the old days at Fardale, her smiles and encouraging words had fired him with enthusiasm to do his best in many a contest.
"I don't think I understand you," he said, slowly. "You used to be glad for quite the other reason."
"Well, Inza, I have not played football this season, but I am thinking of playing in the two principal games--the ones with Harvard and Princeton."
"Don't do it, Frank--don't play football this year!" she exclaimed. "Promise me that you will not."
"Oh, I can't do that, Inza. Yale is not as strong as she should be this fall, and, if I can do anything to help her win, I feel that I must."
Inza secured both his hands, leaned toward him, and looked straight into his eyes, as she deliberately asked:
"If I didn't want you to play, would you do so?"
Frank's position was rather unpleasant, and he showed confusion.
"If there was a reason why you did not want me to play----"
"Not now--sometime. But I want you to promise me that you will not go on the field this season. Will you promise?"
In her dark eyes there was a command, as well as an entreaty. He felt that he could not resist her if he looked into those eyes, and he turned his head away.
"I think we had better go, Aunt Abby," she exclaimed.
"Now, Inza," he exclaimed, "I know you are angry. It seems to me that you are unreasonable. If you would tell me why you don't want me to play, I--I----"